The Story of Octavian
by Lycanthropic Nerev
Summary: It is done. At last, it is done! Complete! DONE The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, along with tons more. T for violence and language.
1. Prologue

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion 

The Story of Octavian 

Prologue

I was born over fifty years ago. I am Octavian Bacchus son of Julius Bacchus, owner of the ruined Bacchus Estate on the border of Black Marsh. I was raised to be a knight, like all of my family. When I was five years old, a local Argonian wizard named "Swims-With-The-Current" found out I was a potentially powerful wizard. So I became a Mage-Knight and Swims got hired by my father as the household wizard.

Before you start flappin' about that being a Spellsword, no it's not. A Spellsword is a magical warrior, but I'm a fighter with magic. so don't screw that up, okay? It's not important, but I just hate it when people ask me that.

Well, when I was a kid, maybe 15 or 16, the War of Bend'r Mak happened on the Skyrim-Hammerfell border. So of course me and a bunch of friends went and fought there. get glory for ourselves, maybe do some good in the world. Well, we decided to try to be a middle ground, mediating kind of thing. It didn't work, so it was us and the Redguards fighting the Nords. A good batch of us died, but we helped keep things from falling apart completely until Jagar Tharn got dead and the Emperor was freed.

So I went back home. I was the big hero, the triumphant general returning from defending the bullshit honor of the crumbling Empire. Well, of course they wanted me back after the Emperor fixed up the Empire as best he could. That whole Warp in the West mess? I was there for a while, but I got hit pretty bad by one of those ghosts around Daggerfall and got sent back here in a healer's cart.

The story really picks up about a year before the Oblivion Crisis. Remember that? well, I was traveling somewhere near Chorrol, can't remember exactly where, when I stopped in an inn on a stormy, dark, cold night. I rented a room and heard fighting from another. so I went to check it out. When I opened the door with my sword drawn blood sprayed all over me. I saw this guy jump out the window and everyone ran up and saw blood-soaked little me standing with a sword drawn over a dead guy.

I jumped after the guy, but lost him. The guards lost me pretty quick to. I went back to check the place out after a few hours. I found this weird-looking Soulgem and a note. It said this. "Lucien, I want you to kill Iulius and take the Soulgem he is working on. It has strange properties and it seems to be relevant to the Dread Father. Take it. Hasaphat."

I was pretty stuck. The gem was important, and the best assassins in the world were looking for it. I needed an enchanter, but who would help a fugitive like me?

Swims would.

I had to go on foot, since my horse had been taken by the guards. After two days of endless travel I collapsed in a grove.

Luck was on my side. it was Haracane Grove, home of the Cyrodiilic Unicorn. when I woke up I managed to mount it and get it going. I got to Swim's shack after another day of travel. When I dismounted, the beast sped away.

"Octavian, I've heard you're in some trouble with the law. What the hell did you do this time, boy?" He asked.

"Missed you too, Swims." I said.

I explained everything. "You're in a bad way, boy. Lachance is rumored to be in the Brotherhood, but there is no proof aside from your letter, which the bent Magistrates will call a forgery. Hasaphat... Must be a Speaker, and Lucien must be his Silencer."

We spent the next few days plotting. After that time Swims thought he had a lead on the gem.

"Fill it with a Soul and attach it to yourself." he said. "Go hunting, okay? You need the time outside anyway."

I trapped a Spriggan and went back to the hut.

Swims had been murdered. I put the gem on his chest and read the note that had been stabbed into his chest.

""You fool, you should have left well enough alone, the gem will still be ours, no matter what you do. Lucien."

"Bastard." I snarled. I saw the gem. Swim's soul was just leaving the body, and it was being sucked in.

"Take it over my dead body."

I slammed it onto the back of my right hand as hard as I could. It felt like being cut with a blade enchanted with fire magic. The guards came for me then.

For the next year I would rot in prison. But I would get out. I'd get even.


	2. Imperial Prison

_**Disclaimer: **Don't own it. You know it, don't brag._

_**Author's Note:** Here is where Oblivion itself begins, after some profuse character description and background. The action will pick up in the next chapter. If you have not played the game and want to find the plot as you go, stop now, close this, and either open the file or get that controller and play first. For all else, enjoy._

The Elder Scrolls IV Oblivion

The Story of Octavian

The Imperial Prison

Almost a year had passed since I was framed for my mentor's murder. Three hundred sixty-two days exactly. Much of my skill and strength had been dulled. I sat at the small table and ate the moldy bread and drank the discolored water, plotting. I had two three objectives that had to be done chronologically. First was to escape. I'd tried dozens of methods. None bore fruit. The second was to be able to avoid the corrupt officials for long enough to accomplish goal number three, my personal favorite: kill the bastard who sent me here.

I ceased my planning for a moment to smirk. I had once eaten magnificent feasts in a noble's hall (My own, to be exact), and now I was reduced to being in a prison cell eating old bread and water that had taken on an "unsettling" appearance. I missed my family home, along with my dead family, but I probably never could return. THEY definitely could not. I was in for life, so if I escaped (a very big "if") I would need to be very careful where I went. I sat on the pile of straw that served as my bed, and pulled out many papers that contained many things. Drawings, stories, memoirs of my many battles in Skyrim. I was still sharp as an Elven Dagger, but inactivity had played hell with my strength. No worries, I had some help in a pinch.

Swims-With-The-Current, my old mentor, had his soul sealed away inside the gem on the back of my hand. That happened by coincidence, as I had placed the soulgem on his body only moments before his soul left it. The soul was sucked in on it's way out. He would lend me strength when my own was insufficient. I regretted attatching the thing to myself, but it probably is better this way. I believe that had I destroyed the gem I would have freed my old teacher's soul but I would be dead, for I would be useless.

I am needed alive to keep the gem's power intact. If I die, then the soul attatched via the gem would be freed, and the gem rendered eternally useless. Same if I detatched it, including the whole "me dead" thing. I'm stuck with it for life, but at least I have the warm presense of my mentor to console me, along with the consolation that Lucien was probably tearing his hair out in vexation. I found all this out while rotting here for a year.

I went over to the corner and pulled out a small mirror. I examined my face. I was paler than I had been from lack of sunlight, but otherwise the same. I looked so much younger than I should, about half as old. When I was young and stupid, about twenty-five, I had used some powerful Alteration magic on myself to keep my appearance young for my entire life. Damn near killed me. I came out of a coma a month later with wrinkles, white hair, and a beard. I remembered fondly that day in Heartfire.

The sixteenth of Heartfire was fairly warm. Swims had just finished the curative spell that would restore my appearance.

"You shouldn't _do_ things like this, Octavian. Magicka abused can be horribly dangerous." Swims said as he handed me the mirror.

I examined my slightly angular features, satisfied that I would not be mistaken for a villiage Elder. "Thanks, Teacher. I'll remember that the next time I nearly set the Great Forest ablaze." I joked. Three months prior I had nearly incinerated a part of the forest our province is nearly completely cloaked in. Swims had put it out and restored the trees with ease.

Despite the mishap, I haven't aged a day since. I'm almost fifty, but I appear to be twenty-five years old. That helps in all manner of ways.

I go back to my uncomfortable chair and take a load off. I looked at my notes, among them endless ideas for escape. I've tried exactly sixty-two times to escape, all in different ways. Digging, I hit a rock. A very big one. I couldn't go around. Flat-out running during hard labor, I hit a guard. A very, _very_, big one, almost as smart as the aforementioned rock. I still ache from the sixty lashes, and it's been almost two months.

A Dunmer prisoner, a newly moved in inmate from the other cell block, tried to get my attention. I could tell they shipped him here because they couldn't stand him.

"Oh look! An Imperial in the Imperial Prison! I guess they don't play favorites, huh? Your own kinsmen treat you like a piece of human trash. How sad." He yelled between cells.

This guy was very irritating. I couldn't tell why he wanted to bug me. Maybe he was just crazy from years of imprisonment. He went on with another string of insults along the lines of "The guards will kill you, you're an embarassment to the Empire." Now, you know that I'm a knight. Honor is big to knights. So I'm called a mage-knight. I set off a small fireball and singed his pants.

"Hey, d'you hear that? The guards are coming… for YOU! Hahahahahahaa!" He cackled as he put himself out with his chamber-pot.

Damn. The annoying little bastard was right. I heard distinctly the slight clinking of armor and weapons, and I could also hear voices.

A woman's voice called with great authority: "Baurus, lock that door behind us." Then a man, I assumed Baurus, responded with a nervous "Yes, sir." This didn't sound good. Maybe the annoying Dunmer was right. I readied myself for an unwinable conflict, but then I heard another voice. An old one, completely grief-stricken.

"My sons. They're dead, aren't they?" he said.

"We don't know that sire. The messenger only said they were atta-" the woman began.

"No, they're dead. I know it." The old voice interrupted.

They came over to my cell door. They looked in, and the three guards stared at me, mouths agape. I did the only thing I could think to do: started talking.

"Hey, welcome to my home, such as it is. Pull up a bucket and make yourselves comfortable. I'd offer you food but I don't get to eat for another day or two."

All through this I was staring with masked curiosity at the old man. I'd seen him somewhere, and his robes and the huge amulet showed very high wealth and status.

The woman in charge finally managed to spit out the words "What's this prisoner doing here? This cell is supposed to be off-limits!" Apparently they hadn't checked their high-security zone in about a year. The guard whom I hadn't heard stuttered a poorly formed excuse.

Didn't matter. In seconds they were in my cell and forcing me against the wall. The old man stopped as he walked toward the captain. His eyes flared with recognition.

"You! I've seen you!" he exclaimed. "Let me see your face." He ordered. I stepped out of the shadows so my face was illuminated.

"You are the one from my dreams." He said, and I was perplexed. Why would some old man dream about a guy who had been in prison for a year? I would soon find out.

He got a serious look in his eyes, a grim certainty, and his entire form seemed to sag with dispair. "Then the stars were right. This is the day." He said grimly.

"Who are you?" I asked.

He smiled a weary smile. "I am your Emperor. Uriel Septim. By the grace of the gods I serve Tamriel as her ruler. You are a citizen of Tamriel, and you too will serve her in your own way."

So that's where I'd seen him before. On balconies making announcements and simmilar things.

"An explanation would be good right about now. Care to tell me why you're people are invading my little house here?" I asked him as paniced shadows skirted by the barred window.

He answered sadly, "Assassins attacked my sons, and I am next. My Blades are leading me out of the city along a secret escape route. By chance, the entrance to that escape route leads through your cell."

"Is that why it's supposed to be unoccupied?" I asked.

He nodded, and the captain started feeling around the walls. Dust suddenly blew out from the walls, and a segment opened out into a hidden passage.

"I'll find my own way." I said.

"So do we all," The Emperor said, "but what path can be avoided whose end is fixed by the almighty gods?"

The guards (reluctantly) let me follow, so I started into the stale air of the secret escape route…

_That's the first "real" chapter. Something happened to my character in-game that will make this story awesome! _


	3. Escape

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion 

The Story of Octavian

Escape

… and into the ancient hallway. I got a sense of foreboding as I went further down. My gem began to vibrate nervously, so I hung back. I stared in awe at the Ayleid-esque passage. My admiration of the décor was cut short by an assassin jumping from the ceiling and driving a Bound Daedra in the form of a Dagger into the Captain's throat.

"Captain Renault's down!" One of the other bodyguards yelled. They made short work of the assassin, and continued gravely. They were worried, the passage was supposed to be a secret. I followed behind. They left out of a locked gate.

"Don't follow us, prisoner," one of them so kindly warned. I wandered the room for a moment, picking up Renault's curved sword and her backup steel shortsword. I heard a scratching and tapping of rats, and a shoddy wall collapsed. I efficiently killed the rats, and went through their tunnel. The tunnel, I soon realised, was not rat's work. I found some rusty iron armor in the tunnels, and after donning it found some goblin droppings.

Fortunately, I was regaining my old skills quickly. Not so fortunately, I wasn't sure exactly how ready I was to tackle a goblin clan. I continued, nonetheless. I found the goblin lair a ways down. The only real problem was the shaman. I had to dodge out of the way of a nasty lightning staff to kill it. I took the staff for later use, or more likely to sell for some food later.

After a few moments of blind wandering in the dark, dusty tunnel, I found an opening into the Ayleid passage. I heard chatter below. I then heard sounds of struggle. I jumped down just in time to see the last assassin fall. One of the guards then flew into a rage.

"It's that prisoner again! Kill him! He might be working with the assassins!"

I then thought: "Oh, _shit_!" The old Emperor raised a halting hand, and forcefully said, "No! He is not one of them. He can help us. He _must_ help us!"

We continued on, and the Emperor spoke to me.

"They do not understand why I trust you," he said, "they've not seen what I've seen. How can I explain…? Listen, you know the Nine, who guide our fates with an invisible hand?

"Yes," I said, "I held their banner in Skyrim when _you_ were sitting in some otherworldly prison."

"I've served the Nine all my days, and I chart my course by the cycles of the heavens. The skies are marked with numberless sparks, each a fire, and every one a sign. I know these stars well, and I wonder, which sign marked your birth?" He said.

"I'm a steed." I casually said as I brushed the webs off my face.

"The signs I read show the end of my path. My death, a neccesary end, will come when it will come."

"You're going to die? What about me?" I asked, a little worried at this point. I had every right to be, as he had just told me he was about to be killed as casually as a young man telling the time.

He gave a little chuckle, and said, "Your stars are not mine. Today the steed shall speed your progress on the road to destiny."

As I ducked through the dirty tunnels, I asked him "Well that's comforting. So I'm walking into this blind? If our fates are linked, and you can see yours, can you see mine?"

He gravely said, "My dreams grant me no opinions of success. Their compass ventures not into the doors of death, but in your face I see the sun's companion. The dawn of Akatosh's bright glory may banish the coming darkness. With that, and the promise of your aid, my heart must be satisfied."

I looked at him as he walked resoplutely and fearlessly ahead, and the question came out before I could stop it: "Aren't you afraid to die? I'd be scared shitless."

He said with a voice as strong as the strongest Ebony, "No trophies of my triumphs precede me, but I have lived well, and my ghost will rest easy. Men are but flesh and blood, they know their doom, but not the hour. In this, I am blessed to see the hour of my death. To face my apportioned fate, then fall."

I then asked, "Hey, uh, where are we going?"

He answered, "I go to my grave. A tongue shriller than all the music calls me. You shall follow me yet for a while, then we must part."

"I figured that, but then where am _I_ going?"

Our conversation was cut short by assassins dropping from a nearby ledge.

"Help us out, prisoner!" The Imperial Glenroy yelled. I drew the curved sword and jumped into the fray. I stabbed forward and caught Renault's sword in an assassins' head. I spun and ripped half of his face off, and his bound armor dissapeared. I spun again and cast a quick fire spell at another assassin, whose armor likewise vanished. The Blades brought down the others, and we continued into the next room.

The room was big, and dark. The Blade Baurus tapped me on the shoulder and said, "Good job back there. Carry this for a second." He gave me an unlit torch. He's never asked for it back to this day. Glenroy told us to stop for a moment.

"I don't like this. Let me look ahead." He said.

Glenroy put his hand on the hilt of his sword and walked forward. He looked cautiously around, skanning the dust-clogged dark. The three of us at the door held our breath, praying for his safety.

"All clear!" Glenroy shouted up at us. We collectively exhaled, and came down the stairs to the gate.

But we had a problem.

The gate was barred from the other side.

"Dammit! It's locked from the other side!" Glenroy burst out, drawing his sword.

"What about that secret passage back there?" Baurus asked.

"Worth a try! Let's go!"

The party went around into a small room off the main path, but the passage was sealed. Then Glenroy yelled out, "They're behind us! Come on!" And in typical Glenroy fasion he flew out sword swinging.

The calmer Baurus said, "Stay with the Emperor, guard him with your life!" To me, and then they both ran out with the battle cry, "For the Emperor!"

Emperor Uriel was sitting in a corner breathing in ragged gasps. I squatted next to him, and saw in his eyes that the end was coming. He caught his breath, and stood, saying over the noise of battle, "I can go no further. You alone must stand against the Prince of Destruction and his mortal servants. He must not have the Amulet of Kings!"

He tore the sacred artifact from around his neck, and placed it in my hands.

"Take the Amulet, give it to Jauffre, he alone knows where to find my last son. Find him, and close shut the jaws of Oblivion!"

I nodded, and said solemnly, "I will. I swear I will find your son!" I did not want the Prince of Destruction coming over here.

I heard a scraping, as did the Emperor. He threw himself between me and the space where the wall had been replaced by another assassin, and the bastard's dagger ripped down his spine. I saw his eyes as he died. I remember them so vividly, even after all this time. He stared at me, and said in my head, "Please, For Tamriel." His eyes got dimmer, and a gasp escaped his lips, he then fell forward, and the life left his eyes completely.

The assassin, an a gesture of enourmous disrespect, kicked the great man's body over onto it's back. He then looked at me through the holes in his helm for his eyes. I could see by how ornate his armor was that he was very high-ranked.

The killer's dagger changed shape, the Daedra painfully transforming into a long sword. He gripped it in two hands and said, "Stranger, you picked a bad day to meddle in the affairs of the Septims." I drew my sword, and we both flew forward…


	4. Blood and Sewage

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion 

The Story of Octavian

Blood and Sewage

… And our blades clashed in midair. We both jumped back. I lunged forward and slashed horizontally, but he flipped over me. I turned and locked on his vertical slash with a horizontal block. I jumped back again. He jumped up and the bound Daedra acting as boots linked to the wall. He walked along the wall and pointed his sword at me.

"You'll join the old corpse, and so will all the infidels!" He said.

I jumped up and used some alteration to stick to the wall. I slashed at him twice, as hard as I could. He jumped off the wall toward the ceiling. I couldn't follow up there as my magical strength was waning with this unnacustomed amount of use (a year in prison does hell for magical prowess). He fell down and I put up my sword to block. He landed right on me, but he was stopped for a moment. We then lowered our swords and cast spells, I my choice fire spell, and he a quick bolt of lightning. They caused a small explosion, and I jumped right through it, catching him unawares. My Magicka was now completely exahusted, so I impaled him on the blade.

He emitted a horrible snarl, and looked me straight in the eyes. His was a look of rage and hate, but a kind of peace with it. "For Lord Dagon, I pass to the Master's Paradise. My duty is done." He said, ominously. He then laughed a hollow dead laugh, and the life left his eyes.

The sounds of battle had faded from the other room, and one set of footsteps ran through the door. I readied my sword, but it was Baurus, bloodsoaked and alone. He sprinted to the Emperor's body and kneeled. "No… Talos save us." He muttered. He then stood and looked at me with utmost dispair.

"We've failed… _I've_ failed. The Blades are supposed to protect the Emperor and now he and all his hiers are dead!" He said, nearing hysteria. He then seemed to regain himself, and said, "The Amulet! Where's the Amulet of Kings? It wasn't on the Emperor's body!"

I quickly answered, "He gave it to me."

Thankfully realizing the truth, he said, "Strange, he saw something in you. Trusted you. They say it's the Dragon Blood that flows in the viens of every Septim. They see more than lesser men. The Amulet of Kings is a sacred symbol of the Empire. Most people think of the Red Dragon Crown but that's just jewlery. The Amulet has power, only a true hier of the blood can wear it, they say. Did he tell you what to do with it?"

I told him, "I'm supposed to take it to Jauffre. Hell if I know what he can do with it."

He asked me, "Jauffre? He said that? Why"

"There's another hier."

"Nothing I ever heard about, but Jauffre would be the one to know. He's the Grandmaster of my Order, although you wouldn't think so to meet him. He lives quietly as a monk at Weynon Priory near the city of Chorrol."

"What should I do?"

"Take no chances. Proceed to Weynon Priory immediately after escaping. Here's the key to the sewers."

"Sewers? Oh crap. Does it _always_ have to be sewers?"

"There's rats and goblins down there, but from what I've seen of you, you mut be an experienced Knight, am I right?"

I considered, and said, "Technically a Mage-Knight."

He nodded and said, "Well, I was close. Either way, you won't have any trouble with rats and goblins."

"So I should…?"

"Don't dawdle, but go strait to Weynon Priory immediately."

I walked reverently past the Emperor's body, and as I got into the small secret hallway, I turned and asked, "what about you?"

He replied, "I'll stay here to guard the Emperor's body, and make sure no one follows you. Good luck."

"You too," I said as I set on my way.

I crawled through the small back-path until I found the sewer door. I passed through the rusted door and went peacefully on my way. I only passed two or three rats and a single goblin on my way to the exit.

The way out, when I found it, was a grate that had to be partially ripped off it's hinges to open. My strength was really returning fast. I stepped out into the fresh air and morning sun. The sun in my face was a beautiful feeling, lost after a year in prison. I knew that Baurus would take care of my prisoner status, so I climbed a nearby hill, looked east to the sun with the wind on my face and proclaimed to the heavens and to all of Tamriel…

"FREEDOM! WHOO!"

I stared out at the distant mountains and the lake Rumare around me. I took it all in, the beauty of the day, and turned towards the Market District Gate. I sold many of the things I found in the cave, and with the exess Septims bough some steel armor and a steel longsword. I then set out westward for Chorrol, to Jauffre, and to begin my vengeance.


	5. A Talk with Jauffre

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

The Story of Octavian

A Talk With Jauffre

I walked up the Black Road towards Chorrol, and got to Weynon Priory with little event. I went into the Chapel first, and got a blessing, then I went into the Priory. An old monk got up to greet me.

"Hello," the pleasant old man said, "I am Prior Maborel. Welcome to Weynon Priory."

"Thank you for your hospitality." I said.

"May I ask why you are here?"

I thought for a moment, and then I said, "I'm here to see Jauffre."

"He's upstairs. Go right ahead."

I walked up the stairs to the little room where an old Breton monk was reading "Ten Commands, Nine Divines" at a small desk. I walked up and did what I always do in sensitive situations: I dove right in.

"Exuse me, Jauffre?" I asked, making sure.

"I'm Brother Jauffre, what do you want?" He replied, placing down his book. He seemed depressed. That would make sense, as the head of the Blades often becomes a personal friend to the Emperor they serve.

"The Emperor sent me to find you." I said, going right into sensitive matters in a way that was pure Octavian.

"Emperor Uriel? Do you know something about his death?" He asked, wariness and borderline anger in his eyes.

I recklessly replied, "I was there when he died." Smaaaaart.

A tone of threat in his voice, "You had better explain yourself. Now."

In an attempt to quiet him down, I told him, "He gave me the Amulet of Kings."

I slowed the escalating anger by piqueing his curiosity. Incredulous, he asked, "_You_ brought me the Amulet of Kings? This cannot be. Let me see it."

I handed over the Amulet, and his eyes widened in shock.

"By the Nine!" He exclaimed, "This _is_ the Amulet of Kings! Who are you? Where did you get this?" He asked, near-frantic.

I then told him the Emperor's last words. What he had said about the Prince of Destruction and about "Closing Shut the Jaws of Oblivion," whatever the hell that meant. I had read it in a poem, once, but I couldn't place it. I also told him the story of the escape. And the strange assassins, adding in the bit about my imprisonment being an unjust frame-up.

"As unlikely as your story sounds, I believe you. Only the strange destiny of Uriel Septim could have brought you to me holding the Amulet of Kings."

I then, seeing him fully calmed and relaxed, asked him, "If I remember my Daedrology correctly after a year spent in prison over someone else's crime, The Daedra Prince whose Sphere is Destruction, Nartural Disasters, Revolution, and Cataclysmic Change would be Mehrunes Dagon, correct?"

"Yes," he replied, "Mehrunes Dagon is the Prince of Destruction. He was behind Jagar Tharn's plot to overthrow the Empire, so I am not surprised to see his hand in this as well." I knew all about Jagar Tharn and his plot, during it I had to quell a rebellion a petty Skyrim Warlord started up. But, I had one point I needed explained done with. I had to fight a Daedra Prince. At that time and for some time after I was thinking something along the lines of "Oh, fuck."

"Now for bad news number two," I thought. I asked the old Monk, "What did the Emperor mean when he said 'Close shut the Jaws of Oblivion?'"

"His meaning is unclear to me., as well," he replied, "The Emperor seemed to percieve some threat from the Demonic world of Oblivion. The Prince of Destruction, Mehrunes Dagon, is one of the Lords of Oblivion. But the Mortal World is protected from the Daedra of Oblivion by Magical Barriers."

I had to stop myself from correcting the word, "Demonic," as Daedra, well, most of them, are far from Demonic. Erratic, yes. Unpredictable, yes. But not evil, and often entertaining, save the more dark Princes. At the same time, I was relieved. I reclined with what little room the uncomfortable wooden chair had and said, "Why worry, then? If we're protected then I don't think we have that big a problem. Maybe the Emperor meant an army of Dagon Worshippers?" I could tell it wouldn't be true, but one can hope, right? "Okay," I asked, "How can Oblivion hurt us?"

Jauffre replied, "I'm not sure. Only the Emperors truly understand the meaning behind the rituals of coronation. The Amulet of Kings is ancient. St. Allesia herself received it from the Gods. It is a holy relic of great power. When an Emperor is crowned he uses the Amulet to light the Dragonfires in the Temple of the One in the Imperial City. With the Emperor dead and no new hier crowned, the Dragonfires in the Temple will be dark for the first time in centuries. It may be that the Dragonfires protected us from a threat that only the Emperor was aware of. "

So that was it. No-one was able to light the Dragonfires. So, if they protected the world then a fanatic would concievably want them dark. The assassins must have been in a cult of some sort. But I knew what they didn't: that there was someone alive who could wear the Amulet and light the Dragonfires.

"The Emperor asked me to find his last son. Apparently there was one the general citizenry of the Empire dosen't know about?" I asked, insinuating.

"I am one of the few who knows of his existence," he began, the glint of old memories in his eyes, "Many years ago I served as Captain of Uriel's Bodyguards, the Blades. One night, Uriel called me into his private chambers. A baby boy lay sleeping in a basket. Uriel told me to deliver him somewhere safe. He never told me anything else about the baby, but I knew it was his son. From time to time he would ask about the child's progress. Now, it seems that this illegitimate son is hier to the Septim Throne, if he yet lives."

"Where can I find him?" I asked.

"His name is Martin. He serves Akatosh in the Chapel in the city of Kvatch, south of here.You must go to Kvatch and find him at once. If the enemy is aware of his existance, as seems likely, he is in terribly danger. And please, let me know if there is anything you need. My resources here are limited, but I will help in any way that I can."

"Do you have any potions or equipment?" I asked. Something was giving me the feeling that I would need them.

"I keep a few things here in my chest to resupply traveling Blades. Help yourself to whatever you need. Prior Maborel and Brother Piner may also be able to help. You should speak to them about it if you haven't already." He said, as he got up and unlocked a chest against the wall.

I began to rummage through. I then thought to ask him something else as I sorted out the potions.

"What about the Amulet of Kings?" I asked.

"It will be safest here with me. When you return with Martin, we will figure out our next move."

I closed the chest and started down the stairs. I had taken a few Healing and Magicka potions, but nothing else was really that different from what I already had. I was cordially invited by Brother Piner to help myself to some food, and I politely accepted. He and a younger monk went up to the room I had spoken to Jauffre in and the three were speaking to quietly for me to hear.

Funny, how completely I remember everything I ate and drank that meal. Some venison, a tad rare, and an apple, along with some brand-new cold Tamika's West Weald wine. It was the last time I would ever have any of these things, so I am grateful for the memory.

The two monks came back down a few minites after I had finished my meal and sat down. Firs I turned to the younger of them.

"Hello, I'm Octavian, and you must be Brother Piner."

"What can I do for you?" He asked.

"Jauffre said if I needed anything, you and the Prior could help." I replied.

"Perhaps you will find this useful," He said, handing me a whithered book, "One of the books I saved from my Blades Training." His manner then went from polite to grave. "You go into danger. Jauffre didn't tell us any more than that, but know that our prayers go with you." He said. It was about then that I was really starting to rethink my decision to help. But, that wouldn't have been like me to give up, would it?

I then spoke to Prior Maborel.

"I didn't get the chance to properly introduce myself, Prior. I'm Sir Octavian Bacchus."

He shook that off, and immedaiately dove into the core of the matter in a way that earned him my instant respect.

"I know that you are on an important mission for the Blades, please, if you need a horse, take mine from the Priory Stables." He said.

"That's very generous, thank you." I said.

"Go with Talos' blessings. Do not fail."

In an hour, I had grabbed a traveling cloak, saddled the old nag I had been given, and started on my way. I figured that on foot it took almost a week to cover the distance, so two or three days on a horse. I decided that travelling cross-country rather than on the roads would be faster, so I sped the horse strait south.

But, that was a both a terrible mistake, and the greatest decision I've ever made.


	6. The Birth

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

The Story of Octavian

The Birth

I sped the horse south until the dead of the night, and I found myself in the middle of nowhere fast. To make things even worse, a freak thunderstorm whipped up out of absolutely nothing. Cursing rather loudly to myself, I dismounted and led the horse over the muddy hills until we came upon a cave. A bleached human skull grinned at me from atop a pike. The horse kept struggling to get away.

I removed the skull with more than a small measure of disgust, and tied down the horse to the pike. I thought I heard a noise, and turned to see…

Nothing. There was nothing but the pouring rain. Nothing could be seen more than five feet away. I thought I cought a movement among the dark blurs that were the trees, but no. It was just some loose foliage tumbling in the fierce winds, I reasoned. Then I heard the sound again.

I turned, and still could see nothing. But then my horse shrieked.

Again I turned, and again I saw nothing. This was bad, as my horse had been there seconds before. The riens were still tied to the pike, and the shrieks were coming from inside the cave. Then, the shrieks of the horse stopped, and there was total silence. I drew my sword slowly and silently and ventured, soaking, cold, and genuinely afraid for what may have been the first time in all my life. Now, for the first time, I felt true fear.

But still, Octavian is Octavian, so I ventured in.

There was a terrible stink at the mouth of the cave. I ventured in and took a sharp right, and then…

A Dunmer warrior attacked me. He was far too fast for a regular bandit, and the force of his blade on mine pained me. I was even more afraid.

Blow after blow came raining down, almost too fast for my eyes to track. I struck down, and our swords locked. His eyes, filled with hate, were blood red, as were the eyes of all Dunmer. His breath was foul and had a metallic smell to it. I could nearly taste the madness off of him. I was transfixed with his eyes, even after immolating him with an underhanded spell. Dunmer eyes were always red, but there was something odd about them…

Perhaps it was his madness, I thought as I stalked down the corridor, shocked that I had survived, even triumphed, at the encounter. I entered a large cavern farther down, and vomited at the sight of the evicerated horse. Despite the brutality, I still cought some details which bothered me. The horse had been ripped open, but no blood stained the floor.

I gathered myself, and decided that I had to purge the cave of whatever creature posessed it. I went further, and found a smaller cavern. Water dripped down from the rain outside. In the very center on an elevated marble platform was a sarcophacus. I had almost walked past it when I stopped. I turned toward it, and felt an irresistable pull. I wanted to open it, to find the treasures buried with the corpse.

"_No! It's a trick!"_ My reason appealed, and I knew it was true, and I broke the hold. I strode defiantly away, then fell to the ground clutching my temples.

"M'Razzar!" I yelled as the name was forced into my mind, knowing full well what I was dealing with as the coffin burst open behind me, and knowing full well the Khajiit vampire M'Razzar's intentions. I struck out with my sword in defiance, but M'Razzar caught it effortlessly. He wrenched the sword away and threw it against the wall. I attempted a use of magic, but he absorbed the spell into a swirling spell of his own. He then fired it back at me full force, and I hit the wall.

The vampire's fangs bit down into my throat, and I fought on, using what magic I could to blast him away. He dissapeared into a pile of rocks, from which he burst forth. He drew his own blade, and I recovered my own. I ran at him, screaming, despite my loss of blood. He deflected my blows easily, and countered with his own, nipping at my calves and forearms. He was way to fast to follow, but still I fought. Into the adjacent chamber he pushed me, and I found myself on an artificial bridge. I chanced a glance down when first his blows slowed.

In the instant I had before his blows picked up, I saw, to my horror, a lower chamber lined with open sarcophoci. Around them stood their owners, a dozen vampires. I knew there was no escape, but I would give the fight of their eternal lives before I died. I flew at M'Razzar with renewed vigor, catching him off guard. I swung forward and gave him a gash on the cheek, wiping the cocky smile from his face. He growled, and bared his fangs. He flew at me and lifted me bodily, and threw me again back into his chamber. I heard the shrieks of the other vampires as he slowly strode into the room, followed by the others. I leapt at them, again I was thrown back, and another blow was administered to my aching calves. I flew again and again, the blood slowly draining all the while. I could see that to all but M'Razzar I was a plaything, to him I was an enigma. I ran again, and swung with all my remaining strength, mustering all my magicka, aiming to give him something to remember me by. I broke through his guard and stabbed him in the center of his chest. He screamed a vampire scream, and summoned all of his own magicka. He set loose a spell that would have killed anything that he wanted dead, but he spared me.

But still, I fought on. He then stabbed my shoulder to the wall, and turned to his vampire comrades as I struggled on the ground.

"You will not touch him." He said.

I was baffled, but continued to struggle. My blood would not be his prize!

"He is too powerful. I drained him, and we wounded him, and still he does not die!" M'Razzar said. "What shall we do, then? He is mine, but I am open to… suggestions."

A Breton vampire, appearing to be about thirty, but clearly older, said, "He would be a valuable addition to the coven. We may even be able to venture back into the world if he shares his victims, as is the law."

I struggled harder. I knew that even if I could get out, I could not get healed in time if I was afflicted.

"Yes, that sounds good, Pierre." M'Razzar chuckled, and turned to me. I raised my free arm, and fired a blast of flame with all that was left. It struck him square in the chest, and he stumbled, wide-eyed. He quickly extinguished himself, and bit me again.

Long story short, it was the worst experience I'd had yet or since.

I got very dizzy, and I could barely breathe. Pain rushed through my drying viens, and I think I kicked the son of a bitch once or twice, still resisting, but it was in vain. I was soon nearly dead. He pulled away, and then bit his own wrist open. He gave me his blood, and I couldn't keep spitting, so I eventually caved. I could go on no longer. I died then, but I was soon reborn. I awoke, still weak, and still human. He removed his blade, and the wound healed. I was quickly healing, but I knew I was not strong enough to leave.

I could do nothing. I waited for the end of my mortal life.

It came on the third night. I awoke from a horrible nightmare of myself murdering an innocent man, just as the bastard Lechance had a year before, only I killed him by feeding. I awoke and the cave was not so dark, and my limbs were no longer languid and heavy. I rose up, and stretched.

I was back, and I was pissed.

I grabbed up my sword and sharpened it with a good stone that I would never have been able to pick out from among the pile M'Razzar's impact had made in life. The sword was as sharp as a razor in moments with my sharpened eye and redoubled strength. I found the bridge, and jumped thirty feet down, a jump I never would have attempted while alive, and landed as silently as a cat. I crept up to one of the coffins, and silently, with surprising ease, I removed the lid. The Breton, Pierre, lay with unseeing eyes in the realm of Vaermina.

I knew that any moment they would rise, and then I could never end the brutality of M'Razzar's coven. So I removed his head and set the corpse ablaze. He made not a sound. On to the second coffin. An Argonian woman, recently fed, as her apparent youth stated, horse's blood on her snout. Her head was severed and corpse destroyed.

I could smell the blood of the horse and of the dead vampires, and I could hear the heart quicken in the coffin two down. I literally jumped over to it, and killed the Imperial male vampire inside. I had ten, including M'Razzar, but I could only do so much before they rose. I managed to kill four more before they leapt out. The four present stood facing me with rage and hatred in their eyes.

"Murderer! Traitor!" They yelled.

"Silence, you spawn of Scamps!" I yelled with my newly amplified vampire voice.

"You will all be as dead as the others if you don't forsake M'Razzar and his brutality now! I survived so long against him, and now I am ten times more powerful! Stand with him and die, you are given the choice." I said, walking among the transfixed beings. One stirred, but none dared speak. Then I jumped fifty feet back as they drew their swords.

"The lord M'Razzar had already ordered your death, to be carried out tonight. He said he gave to much of his blood, that you would be too strong, if allowed to grow in your power." An Altmer male said, his red eyes gleaming.

"Your choice is made, and I am absolved. Now die you shortsighted son of a bitch." I said, before he died. It was so simple, I seemed to nearly phase in and out as their heads came off. I had gone from fifty feet away to hacking off his head in less than a full second. They all met the same end, all were burned after to prevent any chance of revival.

Then the cry came from above, and I put my sword over my head to block as M'Razzar fell from the bridge. He flew off of me and landed some distance away.

"What have you done?" He asked, furiously, "I have ruled this coven for two hundred years, and you wipe it out in a night!" He was frothing red at the mouth now, becoming gaunt and hideous. "I knew I gave you too much, and now you seek to overthrow me! Never! I, who have commanded the-"

He was cut off from his cliche monologue by my blade slashing across his face. He screamed and prepared for battle. He was wekened from his lack of blood, and from his new creation. I flew at him with such ferocity as to match his own. I was clearly overpowering the ancient, he really had given too much. I disarmed him with little effort.

"Thank you for your wondrous gift, Father." I said, as I made him kneel. "I'm sorry I can't appreciate it that much, but, you know, I love life. The Dark Gift may serve me well in the upcoming centuries, but whenever I starve, and whenever I kill, I will curse your name. I leave you now, Father." I said, and beheaded him. I left him there, along with the dead of his coven.


	7. Light in the Darkness

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion 

The Story of Octavian

Light in the Darkness 

So now I was a vampire. I took stock at the mouth of the cave. The weapon M'Razzar had been using was a piece of crap among swords, despite its elegance. It couldn't have been any younger than M'Razzar himself. I had spent three days before the vampirism could take hold of me. That was three days lost.

But, as you know, I was a vampire, and a damn powerful one.

I stepped out of the cave, faced south-ish, and began to run. I ran far faster than the horse did. I came to a small pond, and I jumped clean over it with plenty of room after landing. I kept running. I plowed right over smaller things in my way , and either destroyed or jumped over the larger.

Despite what I'd heard, vampirism wasn't so bad.

I ran for an hour, seeing perfectly in the darkness, when I saw the slightest change in the color of the sky, that no mortal being could have noticed. I began to run faster, and look out for any form of shelter. In minutes I found a cave to hide in. Inside it I waited out the day. I left again at night, thirsty in a way that I knew could only be satisfied one way, but I wouldn't bow to that, yet. I had to get to Kvatch, human or no.

On I continued, until, two days later, I stumbled out of the woods, starved and weak, and far to the west of where I needed to be.

I had reached Skingrad. I stumbled toward it, not being able to go on. I fell somewhat far from the gates, and watched the sky start to change. I thought I was going to die. You all know I didn't, or else I wouldn't be telling you the story, but I didn't have the advantage of hindsight. At the last second before the dawn came, Something was thrown over me and I was roughly carried off.

I awoke at dusk to blood dripping over my lips. I flung myself at the source and drank until I was forced off. I breathed again, coughed, and blinked the death-haze out of my eyes. I then did it again, to ensure I wasn't seeing things.

I wasn't. In front of me Count Hassildor of Skingrad was closing a wound on his arm. I had seen him at social gatherings, back in my nobility days, but I hadn't seen him like this before. Perhaps it was the new acuteness of my vampire sight. Perhaps it was the fact that we can sense eachother. Most likely it was because the taste of his blood was akin to M'Razzar's. He, too, was a vampire. I stared upward, and could tell I was in the castle infirmary.

"I don't know what the hell you were thinking, but if you do that again, you won't have me to help. Your lucky I was the vampire who found you. Anyone else would have killed you at your weakest." Hassildor said to me, aware of my wakefulness without casting a glance.

"Why did you help me?" I asked him.

"Because… you are the one who can bring us together."

"Bring us… together?"

By this time I was thoroughly confused. I wanted answers, and I could tell he knew my thoughts. I didn't even bother to ask aloud, I just sent the consious intention of knowing. He seemed very surprised.

"Most of us can't send out thoughts for at least a year or two. If you want answers, then your lucky. Vampire kind has always been divided. Warring covens, conflicts over hunting grounds, and the limited mortal population are sources of endless problems. Adding fuel to the fires are the Mad Ones, who are basically animals with vampiric strength and form. Mortal fear of us is even worse, but we have a few things going for us." He said.

I replied, "First, you still didn't answer the question, and second, what do we have on our side?" I thought as I spoke how odd it was that despite my sensory and physical changes, my mind was still the same. Vampirism didn't seem as bad as I'd thought until Hassildor's little monologue.

"Right, I didn't. I was getting to that. You have a youthful, strong body. You will keep that form for all eternity. People respect who the years have been kind to, and you can use that to win over some of the covens, and those who will not agree to alliance, and the Mad Ones, will fall before your strength." He said.

"Hold on! You want me to do what?" I asked, bewildered. "I'm just some guy with a curse, how can I unite all the world's vampires? How can I fight centuries-old vampires if I've been one for mere days?"

"Well…" He said, but I could glimpse thoughts already, and the news was bad.

"Mortals, too? You want a random nobody who stumbled into the wrong cave to kill off superstitions and predjudices as old as vampirism itself, and unite men, mer, and immortal? Fuck that, I quit."

"If you quit," he threatened, "I won't teach you what you'll need to know to survive as a vampire."

"You are a tenacious son of a bitch, you know that?" I said, relenting. "I'll do it, but you're teaching me first."

"Alright, first lesson," he said, appearing right next to the bed and lifting me up by the throat. Even my vampire eyes couldn't trace the movement he'd made to get from his chair to the infirmary bed. He placed me down and rolled his orange-tinged eyes. He clearly hadn't fed. "Always be prepared for anything." I was powerful for a fledgeling, but this guy was no fledgeling.

"Can moving like that be the second lesson?" I asked, hopeful.

"That will come with time. I can do it and it's only been fifty years. For your second lesson I'll teach you how to feed, and third will be our advantages."


	8. Blood, Power, and Immortality

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion 

The Story of Octavian

Blood, Power, and Immortality

Skingrad at night. It's a sight to see at least once, if one of us isn't stalking the streets and rooftops. I was walking down the streets at ten at night, and the people were out enjoying the nightlife. Taverns were full to bursting, wine flowing endlessly.

And me, never to be a part of it again, I was thinking.

Count Hassildor and I stayed hidden in the shadows and in alleys. We went across streets silently and swiftly, even in the most crowded streets we went unseen. We at last came upon a seedier area, and we happened upon two people in an alley.

"Here we are." Hassildor said to me.

"What?" I asked.

"See their minds, know who they are."

I focused intently, and began to hear a throbbing and coursing. It was the heart and blood of one of the two, the Orc woman.

"Marada Gra-Muzab." I whispered.

"Yes. And what has she done?"

"Theft. Murder. Skooma deals, extorsion, prostitution, and more murder."

"And the other?"

I focused again, this time on the other person, a Khajiit man. His heart was quicker, and his blood less frothy sounding.

"Anadar, the Junkie." I said.

"And?"

"He has killed many people in persuit of more and more Skooma."

Hassildor nodded and sighed. "I haven't fed tonight as you know. I think you should have the Khajiit, Orcs make a poor first meal, too bubbly for most newbloods."

"Alright." I said, my heart beating with apprehention.

"Let me do it first, so I can guide you when you do it." He said.

We waited a few moments, listening to their conversation, listening to Anadar's threats. He had no more money for Skooma. He left after a moment, and Marada sat on a crate and began to sharpen her shortsword. It had fresh blood on it. I looked to my left, about to say something, but Hassildor was gone.

I looked back, and he glided down from the rooftops onto Marada. The struggle was brief, and after a few moments, he removed his fangs and let the lifeless body fall to the ground. Withg a flick of the wrist, he cremated the body, it was gone without a trace in seconds, as was the magical fire.

He came back over, looking almost impeccably human, save a tad of the irremovable pallor. He opened his mouth and casually wiped off his fangs and lips. "It helps not to leave a body," he said, "In fact I insist on that to avert suspicion. I already draw some unfriendly rumors. Now, you've seen in Anadar's thoughts as he left he plans to rob and kill someone for drug money. You must act quickly to keep safe those undeserving of harm."

We floated up to the rooftops and leapt from building to building. We eventually came to the roof abave him. He was watching a street for signs of people to rob. I dropped down on him and bit down on his throat from behind.

I drank in deep droughts the murderer's blood. It filled every fiber of my being with a living warmth, like being alive again. I could feel the blood working through my system. Then I felt his blood stop flowing. So I dropped him to the ground. I felt hot. I could feel the heat brimming in my being, and I knw that I could interact with people if fed.

I felt a slight dizziness for a moment, then regained myself. He had taken a little Skooma before the buisness, fortunately only a little had worked its way into his blood. I walked easily and calmly over to Hassildor after beiung rid of the body.

"Not much guidance needed there." I said.

"Now," the Count said, "You need to know why I led you to those two."

"Alright, why?" I asked.

"If you wish to ally us with mortals, then it wouldn't be a good idea to further the idea that we are evil killers. Only kill people like these tonight in feeding, and if you must feed on innocents only take a little, not enough to cause lasting harm."

"I'm fine with that."

"Then you've passed your second lesson. I'll tell you about our dos and don'ts on the way to the castle."

We started off for home, but the night was young, so I indulged myself to a new Fine Steel Longsword and suit first. I felt like a Noble again. I had examined the weapons for an hour, my sensitive eyes picking out a flawless blade of the refined steel, swift and deadly sharp. The suit was a typical noble's wear, comfortable and pleasing to the eye, blue and green silk stuff.

After making myself presentable, I played dice and cards in a respectable tavern with mortals who were completely fooled as to what I was. Not only was I feeling like a Noble again, but a mortal as well. I'd been wrong, I could be a part of life again. I'd made quite a sum of money from these little games, and gained myself a little group of admirers, before I saw that it was getting late. As soon as I did at about four in the morning I took my leave.

We had two hours before sunrise, so Hassildor and I strolled lazily along as he told me some invaluable facts.

"Most of what you hear is just superstition. Some of it is true for some clans, like Holy Ground. Vampires around High Rock, Hammerfell and Orsinium are hurt by it, but our clan is not. Garlic, entirely false. We are unique as a clan, though, in that when we feed, we can go out in the day."

"We can what?" I asked, shocked.

"We are weak in direct sunlight, but we will not die. If you only plan on taking a stroll in the day then you are fine. But if you go out hungry into the day, you will die fairly quickly. We cannot die by time or normal means. We can't be given a wound and eventually bleed to death, we heal too quickly. It must be through the heart, the head must roll, or into the fire. Unless, of course, we have eaten normal food. That weakens us, so if we do that we can go down very easily. We will never get sick, and if we feed we will always look as we did when we were made. However, even if we feed we must eventually sleep, so do not think that you can feed every night and see every day."

We reached the castle at about five o'clock. Hassildor led me down to the crypt quite a distance beneath the castle. There were quite a few empty coffins around. I was allowed to pick any but one with a person's imprint on the ooutside until a coffin was made for me. As he placed the lid it over me, I thought "Coffins, the one cliché I can't escape, and the one I'll like the least." Then I slept a deep, death-like sleep.

Thus ended my first night as a consious vampire. I couldn't wait to see what the next night would bring.


	9. Powers of the Undead

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

The Story of Octavian

Powers of the Undead

I woke up at sunset, and lifted the lid easily off the coffin. I could still feel the warm life of the Khajiit murderer flowing through me, but it was weaker than it was the night before.

I heard Hassildor's coffin open up behind me, and its occupant rise. I yawned and prepared myself for another night.

We left the castle at seven o'clock and came down to the seedy part of town. I took an Imperial that night, a man whose crimes and the deaths he caused are too numerous to write into one story. I also cought on to Hassildor's fondness for Orc blood. I myself preferred the Khajiit so far.

My lifestyle was very different now. Although I kept my bravado and general sociability, I used more subtlety and exageration in my movements and speech.

That, and I now slept in a coffin and drank blood.

On this night Hassildor wanted to show me just how drastic the change to my strength and speed was. He knew of a cave filled with bandits to the near east of Skingrad, so off we went.

The Blood Ring Bandits, as they called themselves, had been a plague to Skingrad for years. I was supposed to go and wipe them out in one night, a feat which the town's own guardsmen could not do since they first started the occupation of the cave six years before.

"Hey, Janus," I asked, "If we are strong enough to deal with these people, why haven't you already done it?"

Hassildor replied, "I may be a vampire, but I'm also a Count. I can't be going around showing off my abilities. You aren't a high political figure yet, so if you do it the stir will be almost entirely positive."

"Alright, but I'd better not get killed in there. If I do I'm coming back to haunt you." I said, jokingly.

"Very funny. I need to go back to the castle. Get me the leader alive, do as you will with the rest. Best destroy any bodies you decide to feed on, in case of an investigation."

"Gotcha. See you at dinner."

Janus left for his castle as I reached the cave mouth. I went in past two threatening signs, and drew my new sword. It was time to break it in with blood.

I entered into a large cavern where three were seated dividing plunder over a fresh corpse. I flung myself at them, and two were dead before there was any reaction. The third lost his head halfway though his draw. I proceeded down a narrow tunnel, and came upon a lone Orc in steel armor. I could tell he had comitted horrible atrocities, my mind dissecting his far faster than that first night. I decided to see what Janus liked so much about Orc blood.

I sped behind him and sank my fangs in. His blood was simmilar in taste more to an Imperial than Khajiit, but there was a uniqueness to the flavor, distinct from either of the others. And it was frothy, a bit too frothy in my opinion, like beer where I preferred wine, but it was good nonetheless. Apparently Janus had preffered beer, and this reminded him of his old favorite drink.

After letting the life settle in, a little odd with the frothiness of it, I burned the body and continued on to a smaller cavern filled with priceless treasures from eras long gone. In the middle of it all was three men, the one in the middle a tall, strongly built Nord, richly adorned with treasures, and beside him were two Altemer Battlemages, clearly bodyguards from their less elaborate decoration. I decided the best course of action, then sprung.

I steathily walked upwards, until the wall ended and the ceiling began, then I began to walk on that, using all my willpower not to laugh with glee at the extent of my powers. I strode upside-down on the cavern ceiling to above a large pile of treasure. I reached out with my mind and pulled a sword out from the pile, it was beautifullyadorned but not much use in a fight. I let it drop and land with a loud _clang_ upon the stone floor.

My plan unfolded perfectly. The Nord sent one of his bodyguards to investigate, and I dropped down behind him.

"Boo," I whispered before I knocked him unconcious.

The other bodyguard was perturbed by the sound, and he, too left the leader. I gave him a simmilar treatment, then proceeded to take the leader, fully awake and aware, with me to the castle along with the two knocked-out Altmer bodyguards.

I placed the Nord in the custody of the Town Guard, who instantly gave me the utmost respect at my achievement. I then retrieved the bodyguards and scaled the wall to Janus' study.

I flipped them and myself into the window and smiled. "I told you I'd see you at dinner." I said.

Janus laughed and said, "You, Octavian, are a genius! Now, after our meal tell me the details."

Altmer blood became an instant classic. It tasted very high-class, like a vintage wine from the Second Era, with a slightly spicy aftertaste. Delicious. One of my favorites.

After I had told my tale, Janus seemed impressed. "You walked on the wall, did you? That's impressive. Usually it takes a century to be able to do that. M'Razzar must have given you far too much, enough to sustain me for days, and not made any other vampires since…"

"Since what?" I asked.

"I'll tell you some other time. You will have to go out in the day, today."

"What? Why?"

"You are the one who caught the leader of the Blood Ring Bandits. Most people don't know we can go out in the day. So you will get fame and good repute while also dispelling any rumors. This will also be your lesson on why we are weakened in direct sunlight."


	10. Distractions of the Day

_**Author's Note:** This is not official TES lore, just so you know. This is just a pretty good cover to the bizzare fact that in-game vampire stats are lowered if you feed, which allows daywalking._

_**Disclaimer:** Do I really even need to put it anymore?_

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

The Story of Octavian

Distractions of the Day

I was very nervous as I watched the tone of the sky change from a deep, spotted black to the many shades of sunrise. As beautiful as it was it was also quite unnerving for me. As the sun began to creep over the hills and mountains to the East, my skin began to tingle and itch a little, and my eyes slightly watered. My eyes quickly adjusted, but the feeling on my skin was not leaving. It was not quite painful, but it was incredibly distracting. It seemed to me to be the shadow and echo of a burn.

I left the clear hilltop I was standing on and as I stepped into the shade of a tree on the way back to the city I felt the itch lessen everywhere the shade covered. That was what Janus meant by "direct" sunlight. I quickly found the guardsmen to whom I'd given over the Nordic leader of the Blood Ring Bandits. They let me bring him to the main square, for his public trial. It was about ten in the morning when I was supposed to bring him in. That was Skingrad's "rush hour" on weekdays, so most people would see and hear about it.

I walked triumphantly through the town, dragging the bandit behind me. He barely struggled, mostly because my hand was like a vise on his wrist, and he could tell that I could break it easily. My admirers from the first night had seen me, and had begun to bring a crowd who were overjoyed to see the sight of this hated man being dragged to the court. By the time we were there, everyone in Skingrad was there. After a lengthy trial where people choked out horrid accounts of the wrongs that he and his gang had done to them or their loved ones, he was almost sentenced to death.

I say "almost," because of some very bizzare circumstances that I would never in a million years have foreseen.

First, I would normally have said that he should be imprisoned for life, but with crimes like that, I was unsurprised that everyone in town was screaming "kill him!" But even more than the fact that he had negatively affected every single resident of Skingrad in a drastic manner, was the actual occurances.

The trial went smoothly until after the sentence, which was right after sunset. He was being dragged off to the prison to await the execution. But then the winds came. They were winds that would have ripped the trees from their roots were they any less deep. The debris prevented the Nord's official execution from taking place when a piece of it pierced his heart, killing him instantly. With them came blasts of heat, and a horrid stench. They were coming from the West in the direction of…

I cursed aloud as I remembered what I had come South to do. Kvatch! The city was in danger, and so was the hier to the Dragon Throne. I would need to go there, immediately. I rushed to Janus' castle and told him everything. Out the window to the West the sky glowed red. The winds weakened within the hour. I fed on one of the vagrants running around using the turmoil to their advantage. I had given him a potion to alleviate my fatigue when it came indirectly through his blood, and began towards Kvatch. I would need to use all of my new power to get there quickly enough.

I stood facing the blood-red section of the sky. I prepared myself and ran, swearing to return to complete my training as a vampire. I felt the wind rushing past me as I ran as fast as any horse. I jumped over boulders and fallen trees easily, and cleared the distance by sunrise. But there was no sun here.

Clouds as black as ink covered the sky here, and over the city itself, only two minites away, the sky remained blood red. The rain poured down in buckets, and the stench from the city could choke a pig. I could see the bodies hanging over the ramparts of what remained of the city walls, and I could distinguish inhuman forms moving in and around the castle. I could also see a small camp to the South of the city. I made my way there.

_Okay, we'll be getting more into the main quest of the game for now. _


	11. Kvatch and Oblivion

_**Author's Note:** This is the first Oblivion Gate in the game, and I'll try to keep it interesting for the people who are just here to read a good vampire story. Also, I've decided to put more origional paraphrasing in for the main quest dialougue, since you've probably played Oblivion and don't need to hear it again exactly as it was._

_**Disclaimer:** You get it by now._

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion 

The Story of Octavian

Kvatch and Oblivion

"Damn my oversensitive vampiric perceptions," I thought as I coughed and sneezed the ashes of the city. The smell of it was overwhelming, doubly so because my senses were twice as sensitive as a mortal's at their worst. But after I adjusted myself, I began to walk up the hill that Kvatch's remains lay on.

I sat myself down at the refugee casmp after passing an Altmer who had been "kissed by Sheogorath," to put it lightly and politely. Everyone was silently bent over their small rations of breakfast. They were wrapped in blankets, shivering out of cold and fear. Tears were streaming down many of their faces, and they were all as pale as the palest of vampires. I remembered that I had a little food left in my bag, and I subtly took it out and placed it in the basket that served as the communal stores. After the silence hat been broken by the aforementioned deranged Altmer falling over and cursing so loud the refugees could hear it, an Orc woman spoke to me.

"You seem a bit drawn and hungry, sir." She said.

"I'm fine. I wouldn't dream of taking what little you all have left." I replied, realizing that I would soon need blood or I'd start to show my true nature.

"That's fine. To be honest, I'm glad. No offense, but I felt I needed to be hospitable, even though I probably couldn't give you anything."

"None taken. Say, do you know any Martin?"

"The priest? I haven't seen him. That's a pity, he was always a friend to everyone. He even helped my skooma-sucking brother get off his addiction. He didn't get out either. May Arkay rest their souls. But who knows, maybe I'm wrong. Savilian Matius is in charge, maybe he saw them. He's up the hill holding the barricade"

That was not promising. At all. Even less promising was the solid indications that I hadn't fed enough from the rougue before I left Skingrad. I felt weak and lightheaded. I walked up the hill where I found a pool of blood, spilled out of a corpse thrown over the wall. I hated it, dead blood was foul and made me feel sick for a moment, but then a semblance of life returned, and then I felt perfectly normal. I got rid of the corpse and continued up, hoping never to feed from the dead again.

I reached the barricade where what few guardsmen were left stood watch over the swirling portal which led to the depths of Oblivion itself. I found Matius, the Captain of the Guard, at the front with his silver longsword drawn and ready. In my own way, I got his attention.

"Hey, captain! Hell of a view up here, eh?" I yelled.

"What the hell? Who are you, and what the hell are you doing up here? This is no place for civilians!" Matius yelled back, infuriated.

"I'm no civilian. I've been hardened by more battle than you ever want to see in your life!"

"I don't care, get down to the encampment and out of our way!"

"Are you sure you don't need just a bit of help?" I asked, gesturing to the gate. Daedra had begun to pour out.

He considered for a moment, and said "All right! Get over here and don't get yourself killed!"

I grinned, drew my sword, and jumped over all the guards in one leap into a small circle of Scamps and Clannfear. "This is what I've been waiting for!" I yelled out.

I had been bored with battle since I had become a vampire, everything had become easy. It took nothing, just a few spells, to kill any adversary. I finally got to fight the way I liked to fight: with a trusty blade, in a real challenge. I ran at a likely target, a Scamp which wasn't paying attention. I jumped and dropkicked it in the head, knocking it down. I slashed downward, picking it up with my sword and throwing it at a Clannfear. The impact was enough to kill them both. I charged at another Clannfear and slashed quickly three times. It blinked and made a confused noise, then as I turned and cut another Scamp up the middle, the three pieces of the Clannfear slid off one another and it died. I blocked a blow from a Scamp who tried to sneak attack me, grabbed it's outstretched arm, and swung it around, letting it go, flying over the walls and being speared on a spire of the chapel.

The other combatants had finished off the few Daedra I didn't kill, and Matius came over to me as I wiped the gore off of my armor.

"What the hell! I've never seen anyone fight like that!" He said, ecstatic. "Maybe with you helping us we can turn them back!"

"In exchange for information, I'll gladly help." I replied.

"What do you need to know?"

"Have you seen Martin?"

"I saw him. He didn't get out, but he's not dead. At least he wasn't then. He was leading a small group to the Chapel of Akatosh. But to get in, we'd need to close that damned gate to Oblivion. I sent in men earlier, but the haven't come out. I know they can be closed, I saw the Daedra do it when they first attacked, but I don't know how. If you want to help, try and go in there and close it. Help my men if you can."

I agreed and approached the gate. I put my hand forward experamentally, and felt thrugh to the other side. There was no sun, it was hot, and it was dry. I stepped forward into Oblivion.

_That's the start of the battle for Kvatch. I hope to update more often from now on.._


	12. When the Dragon Dies, the Empire Dies

_**Author's Note:** First time in Oblivion here. Not much other than that. More plot advancement in the next chapter._

_**Disclaimer:** I'm not writing Disclaimers in future chapters unless there is something new to disclaim. There is something new here. The Gem Reaction is all me, but the chapter title is from Morrowind._

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion 

The Story of Octavian 

"When the Dragon Dies, the Empire Dies…"

As I walked into the gate, seeing for the first time the otherworld of Oblivion, I had several reactions. "Where exactly am I," and "What the hell is going on with my gem?" were two of them. The gem containing my mentor's soul was vibrating and glowing. It felt almost as though Swims was being obstructed from direct transference of strength. That was not good, but I still felt his presence, and his will to get into the large tower that was at the center of this monstrous lava-filled world. I found one of Matius' men alive, and he left for our reality after helping me kill a few Scamps. The heat bothered me terribly, but I soon reached the central tower.

It became clear very quickly that this task required either an army or a vampire. Fortunately, I'm one of those two things, so I could survive the constant barrage of Daedra. I charged through with sword and spell until I could go no higher. Not because I was tired, but because the upward path abruptly ended. I took a path across the bridge to a lesser tower.

Inside I found two very important things. First was one of the men who had been sent into the gate. He was near death and I couldn't break the cage.

"Leave me here," he said, "if you get the Sigil Stone we'll both be sent out. It's at the top of the big tower. The Sigil Tower, they call it. The Dremora Gatekeeper has the key."

The second thing was said Dremora Gatekeeper.

He found me, and yelled, "You do not belong here mortal! Your blood is forfiet, your flesh is mine!" That was some beautiful irony. I thought of that as I remebered the training in my youth, and drew my sword. Dremora I had fought before, they were summoned by Swims for my training with a blade, but I had never fought one to the death. As I charged at him, I said, calmly, "I'm no mortal."

My steel clashed with the lesser Daedra he had bound into the form of a sword. Whenever he attacked, I used a mirror of his so that our blades kept clashing and clashing. I jumped back and spun, catching him unawares and leaving a bad gash on his arm.

"Imagine the shame of it!" I said, as we cought our breath. "A human defeating you! You being a Daedra! A _Dremora_ no less!"

"Silence!" he yelled and charged me again. I loved this game I was playing with him. Our swords locked, we both pushed with all our strength, each trying to get a physical edge, not just the confidence that I had.

"And to think, you'll live for eternity with this! For all time other Dremora will know about this."

I achieved the edge when he yelled and pulled back for another blow. I got under his guard and stabbed him in the heart.

"Actually, it's not so bad." I said, just before he died, "I'm really a vampire."

As it fell I took the key to the top and left. I used a higher bridge to get into the formerly innacessable floors of the Sigil Tower. I reached the top and used the key. I encountered two Atronachs, one Fire and one Frost, which were easy to dispatch using opposing spells. There was also a much weaker Dremora Mage, which I also banished to the Darkness that Daedra go to before they ressurect.

Swims' gem vibrated so violently it almost hurt as I reached for the stone. It seemed to be an orb of solid Darkness, or existing void. I grabbed it with my right hand, the hand with the gem. As I grabbed it, the realm began to dissapate around me, but more immidiately something was happenning to the solid void in my hand. Whisps of it condensed and went into the gem. At that point, and forever after Swims was not blocked from giving me strength in Oblivion. The rest also became mist, but formed itself into a sword in my hand. I could feel Swims doing this, and I knew that the more Sigil Stones I collected, the stronger both his gem and the Sword would be. I named it the Void Blade, which seemed fitting.

After the realm fell completely away, I found myself standing bevore Kvatch's normal city gate and beside the man who was formerly in the cage. In a rushed discussion with Savilian, I told him everything exept my conversation with the Dremora, and we determined to go into Kvatch, find Martin and the refugees, and beat back the Daedra. I was eager to try out the Void Blade, so I drew it and we stepped into the city.

_That's the first excursion into Oblivion. I hope you enjoyed it, and enjoy the next chapter. For those of you who want to get off the main quest and do more vampire quests, please be patient, they will come soon._


	13. Where is the Lost Dragon's Blood

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

The Story of Octavian

…_Where is the lost dragon's blood, the Empire's sire…_

The gate flew open and I ran through, slashing straight down. Nothing happened. The crocadillian Daedroth just grunted and swatted me into a building. I shook off the dirt and debris, pulling a dropped sword out of my shoulder, and healing instantly. I should have figured that a sword made from the fabric of Oblivion itself would do little to Daedra. I drew my fine steel longsword and ran at the Daedroth again, catching it by surprise. I cut it in two. The guards and I butchered the Daedra, now that their numbers could lessen without reinforcements flooding in. In only a few minutes they were all dead. We went into the chapel.

The scene inside the chapel was simmilar to the one outside. Scared people, all dispairing. Matius spoke to a few guards that had followed Martin inside as I looked for the man himself. He wasn't that hard to find, he was the only one in priest robes. He was comforting the wounded. I could feel Magicka pulsing from him, ancient and powerful. He was definitely the one.

"Are you Martin the priest?" I asked

"Yes, I'm a priest. Do you need a priest? I afraid I can't be much help to you, vampire." He said, not even the slightest hint of fear or nervousness emanated from him.

"So you know what I am. But you're not scared. Why is that?" I asked.

"Ever since I was a boy I have had a sixth sense about people. I know you are a vampire, but I also know you won't harm anyone here."

"Well I'm glad you can trust me. You'll need to, after hearing what I have to say. The Emperor sent me to find you."

"What would the Emperor want with me?"

"I said you'd need to trust me, and here's why: You are Uriel Septim's son."

"That's impossible. My father was a farmer." Martin said, but he sounded doubting. He trusted me, but not enough to belive a tale that tall. But he was a priest, so I used the scentence I had heard from so many.

"The Gods have a place for all of us, and yours is at the head of the Empire."

"If the Gods have a Divine Plan, I'm not sure I want a part in it. I prayed to Akatosh all through the night but no help came. Only more Daedra."

"And why do you think the Daedra came here? It was to kill you."

"An entire city destroyed to kill me? Why? Because I'm the Emperor's son…"

"It's true. We need to leave. We have to meet Jauffre at Weynon Priory."

"As rediculous as it is, I think I believe you."

"Good. We need to leave. But I need to check if Matius needs me to help out clearing the Daedra. Wait here for a moment."

I left Martin to ask Matius what the situation was. One of the Guards was to escort the refugees to the camp, and the others were going to try and flush out the Daedra.

"We could use your help here. You have more combat experience than my men." Matius asked.

"You helped me find Martin. I'll help you in return." I answered.

I told Martin to wait at the refugee camp until I was done. After forming our strategy, I jumped on the top of the fallen Chapel Spire outside. On the far side was a hoard of Daedra. Just the way I like it.

"This is what I live for. This'll be one hell of a fight!" I yelled and jumped down.


	14. And From the Womb of the Void

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

The Story of Octavian

… _And from the womb of the void, who shall stem the blood tide?_

I jumped down, sword swinging. The guards had gotten out of the chapel, and began to help me. Not that I needed much of it at first. For a little while we slaughtered Scamps like cattle. Then the Clannfear and Dremora came. Things got progressively harder from there. I would have been backstabbed were it not for Matius himself watching my back.

We gradually made our way to the castle bridge, the rush of battle becoming more and more encompassing, when my momentum was broken in the form of solid locked gates. Too sturdy even to be broken with my vampiric strength. As we tried to form a plan, Dremora Mages began assaulting us from behind the castle walls. I couldn't help but think back to my glory days in Skyrim. I met a boy there, an orphan, who had saved my life from a mage's spells. But now wasn't the time for reminiceing. Now was the time for me to become Death again.

I crawled over to Matius, who was leaning against our barricade, nursing a wound on his left shoulder. I used what restoration I knew, then asked for a plan.

"There are some underground passages to the opening device for the gate. You can get there by going through the chapel undercroft." He said.

"Let me guess, it's me getting my hands dirty?" I asked. He nodded.

"Buisness as usual. Try not to die before I get back, alright?" I said. We both chuckled and I ran back to the chapel, slicing Daedra to bits along the way.

I reached the chapel, where I could get a moment's peace. There was a guard there, who had the key. Then I was granted a blessing by the Gods in the form of a small squad of legionairres walking through the chapel door.

"We saw the smoke, and…" One of them started.

"You don't need an excuse to do something good," I interjected, "We welcome your help. Follow me."

We made our way through the secret passage, I used old legion hand signals to silently direct the legionairres around the worst of threats for me to kill without endangering people. We reached the gate mechanism and opened it. I got up to the walls and disposed of the Mages, and the Kvatch guard ran across the bridge. After meeting with them in the courtyard, we determined that our battle plan was simple: run in and kill anything that moves until we get to the Count's chambers.

The rush of battle built within me again, and when the time was right, I released it. I exploded into the main audience chamber, unleashing my dark fury. I cut throught the Daedra, and waded through their blood to the next room. I unleashed a spell and physically eradicated the Daedra there. Then I came into a hallway that I believed would lead to the Count's room, and in that hall I encountered a fairly huge Daedroth.

Matius and the others were mopping up in the audience chamber, so I thought I'd have my fun. I ran at it, ducking under its sword-sized claws, then jumping up and leaving a painful gash on its side. It howled in pain and swatted at me again, but I was barely too far, so I jumped forward and sliced out one of its eyes. It roared at me and spat flame. I created a magic shield and blocked it. I jumped again and stabbed it's throat.

It fell to the ground with a pathetic gurgle, and I went ahead into the next room.

It was a grim scene, to say the least. The well-dressed corpse was rotting in a corner, flies buzzing around it and chunks missing where the Daedroth had begun to eat him. I grabbed his signet ring as proof and returned to give the news.

The celebration died quickly as the victorious Kvatch Guards saw me coming through. I gave the Counts ring to Matius. He was sad, but that Matius is very practical to this day. He knew that the time for mourning would be after Kvatch was rebuilt.

"My fighting days are over. Here, you take my Kvatch Guard armor. There is no real way to repay you." He said.

"I'm sure I'll think of something, friend. If I ever need help, I'll just give you a call." I replied.

"Fine by me. I need to get started rebuilding."

I got out of the city, covered in soot and ash and blood, and made my way to the camp. I stood on a rock and told them all the news. I left them in Savilian's care. I managed to get a horse from one of the dead legionairres and Martin and I started off, him on the horse, and me walking beside.

_The chapter selection names are a bit offfrom the chapter names. I know, each line of the prophecy was too long. Thanks to all who reviewed, review and will review._


	15. The Priest and the Vampire

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

The Story of Octavian

The Priest and the Vampire

Martin and I made our way north, the horse galloping and me running. Unlike me, the horse had to stop and rest every few miles, so I used these intermissions to our unspoken race to learn more about the Emperor-to-be.

"I thought my father was a farmer. My mother I never really knew. Her name was Gemile, a Breton from High Rock. I joined the Mages Guild origionally, but after a few… mishaps as a novice, I became a priest of Akatosh in Kvatch's chapel." He said.

I could tell that the "mishaps" were painful for him, so I descided not to pry. The horse seemed to be rested enough, so on we went. We passed the old cave where I had been reborn. It felt strange, like there was a unique presence. I felt uneasy, and Swims did too, but nothing happened as we passed by.

We arrived at the priory to a sight that horribly pissed me off. I saw laying on the floor of the Prior House the corpse of Prior Maborel. I drew the Void Blade and yelled out my challenge. Then the assassins appeared. The same ones who attacked the Emperor. I jumped into their midst as they summoned their blades. I targeted the leg of one of them as another stabbed where my head had just been. I swung around and cut off his arm. I jumped onto the ceiling and they followed me. I spun and killed two of them, then threw a small auxiliary dagger and threw it at the one sneaking up on Martin, who was putting up an excellent defense magically. I dropped to his side.

"Use this," I said, giving him my steel sword.

We spun as one, wiping out six. Then we spun again, unleashing fire and ice on either side. Five more fell. That was the last of them in the Priory House.

"Gods," I said. "Where did you learn to fight like that? They don't teach spells like that to Novices."

"The mishaps." Martin replied.

"Well, whatever those were, I'm glad I'm on your side." I said, genuinely honest that I wasn't up against his unexpected strength. "Now we need to find Jauffre."

We found Brother Piner and the Shepherd outside. Jauffre was in the Chapel. We made our way there and made short work of the cultists, me taking note of how smoothly Jauffre's odd-looking sword cut through air, flesh and bone. It reminded me of the one like that that I'd used in the Imperial Sewers. The next thing I knew Jauffre was rushing me back into the Priory House and into a secret room, then over to a broken chest.

"Damn! The amulet is gone! But we have the one silver lining." Jauffre said.

"If you refer to our magickally gifted friend here, then yes, we do. Emperor or no, he's a powerful asset." I said. "What do we do now, then? We need to get the Amulet back, but we need a safer base of operations. Any suggestions?"

"Yes," Jauffre said, "We go to Cloud Ruler Temple."


	16. Cloud Ruler Temple

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion 

The Story of Octavian

Cloud Ruler Temple

We had marched for days, until we reached the frozen Jerall Mountains, as much a part of Skyrim as Cyrodiil. A qick climb and then I saw something the like of which I may never see again. It was a building, a strange one, with a bizzare shape. It had walls as white as the snow and ice around it, with a curving roof. I recognized it as Akaviri by a description of Akaviri dwellings I had read in a book once. This building was as old as the Second Era.

After walking through the gates that were the only break in the enourmous white walls surrounding it, A small army of Blades massed in the courtyard and cheered for Martin, the new Emperor. He was confused and bewildered, at best. The idea of being an Emperor, or anyone of consequence, was apparently foreign to him. I smiled slightly, taking care not to show my fangs. I would love to teach the boy how to be a noble, but I had more pressing matters.

Martin stopped at the steps to the main building and turned to the Blades. He was going to try and give a speech.

"Umm... I just want to thank all of you for recieving me. I know you all expect me to be an Emperor, but it's all new to me. I'll do my best an, um.. Thank you."

He walked up to me, who was leaning against the doors. "Not much of a speech, was it? Dosen't seem like they minded it though."

"Ah, they know you can't just go from a peasant priest to Emperor in a day. They understand. maybe I'll teach you some things about being a noble, someday." I replied.

-----

"Jauffre," I said, after Martin had gone in to rest, "Where could I get one of those swords you were using?"

"The Akaviri Longswords, 'katanas' in thier tongue, are for Blades only. You've proven yourself worthy of joining the Blades, however. Would you like to be named a Knight Brother?" Jauffre replied.

"Be a knight in the present, instead of just the past? I would like nothing better." I said.

"Very well, then you are a Knight Brother of the Blades."

"Good, my first request as a Knight Brother is to have a vacation. This hero buisness is tiring."

"Very well. No one deserves it more, I think. Before you leave the temple, the armory is in the basement, and you may want to train with a katana here, since there is a particular fighting style that maximazes it's potential."

I went down to the armory and picked up my new armor and katana. The armor wasn't too heavy, but I needed a minute to get used to it's bizzare make. It mixed scale mail, chainmail and plate mail. I've always been adaptable, so after a few moments I was almost as comfortable as I am in steel plate. And the katana itself was magnificent. It was light compared to my other sword, and razor sharp. It just seemed to be an extension of my arm. That was a good sign in a sword. I tried them all out on a test dummy until I found the perfect one.

The next three months were fairly peaceful and monotonous. I trained alongside the Blades, learning the best way to use a katana. I also took up a few monastic duties in the Order of Talos, of which is the Blades' religious arm. After I had been trained, I set out for what would be some of the most important time of my adventure.

I know what you're thinking: "How did he feed? He's been at a temple for months." I could tell you, but I don't like spreading my best hunting spots. I'll just say that there are a lot of caves in the Jeralls, and vampires are accomplished at sneaking in and out of places.


	17. Immortal Brothers

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion 

The Story of Octavian

Immortal Brothers 

I lived comfortably in Chorrol for a few weeks when something quite bizzare happened. I was taking a stroll through the main square on a rainy night when I felt a presence the likes of which I had never felt, like a vampire who was someone I knew when we were both human.

I went into my large house, filled with oddities from my many travels which I had recovered from the Imperial Guard. I was on the verge of discovering what these mysterious twin devices I had found in a Dwemer ruin on the Skyrim-Hammerfell border did. I hid those, knowing that precautions must be taken with such valuable things. I waited on the roof. I heard the door to my top balcony open, and the sound of footsteps on my roof. I turned to see who had jumped a full floor up. As was becoming routine on this adventure, I was prepared for anything but what I saw.

"It's been twenty years, brother." Said the figure before me. "The years have been kind. I see your little spell hasn't worn off."

"I can't say the same to you, Lazarus." I said, "Swims and Father brought me up honest."

Lazarus it was. He was my younger brother by six years, who had gone missing twenty years ago. He went hunting one day and never returned. He had always been jealous of me, since he didn't inherit anything. This adventure was also proving me wrong left and right, I never thought I would see any of my family again. He had apparently become a vampire within the twenty years since he had dissapeared.

"You really don't know how to treat a guest. There is nothing to drink in your house at all." He said, flashing a fanged smile.

"Well you don't know how to be courteous to your host," I said, using my thumb to loosen my katana from it's sheath as I'd been taught, "Do you know how much trouble it'll be to haul your corpse to your grave in Leyawiin?" It would be trouble, we had put up a stone in Leyawiin after he'd been declared dead.

"You're right." He said, drawing his greatsword.

We ran at eachother, and the swords clanged. We locked blades, both pushing with all our might. Staring into eachother's red eyes. We both pushed off, and I ran at him again, using a quick-draw technique I'd learned. He managed to get his guard up in time, and punched me in the face.

My nose bled a little, but I ran at him again. I juimped in the air and rained down lightning spells. He skillfiully dodged each one, then threw balls of solid void, simmilar to sigil stones, only explosive, at me incredibly fast. I managed to get out of the way, and slashed at him, leaving a cut on his arm. He shrugged it off and rained blows on me, and I wound up on my knees, barly able to keep up my sword under his blows. He kicked visciously, and I flipped backwards through the air, barely landing on my feet. He rushed at me, and I couldn't get my guard up.

Have you ever been impaled on a sword? I didn't think so. It hurts. I dropped my sword, and he just stood there, grinning. With me just a foot of steel away.

"My master has given me power beyond your wildest dreams. He can never be killed. But he needs something to fulfill his plans."

He ripped his sword out of me, and let me fall to the ground. I could barely keep consiousness. I had very little blood left. I needed to stay awake, if I couldn't get inside before I passed out…

"That something can't be achieved if you die. My master needs you."

He kicked me off the roof into the balcony, and from there into my house. He kicked me down flights of stairs down to the cellar. I passed out there. I awoke the next evening dazed and lightheaded. I found a burglar in an alley and drank his every drop. He was a Nord, so it more than rejuvenated me. I couldn't feel Lazarus' presence anymore.

He had looked terrible. I got my sword from the roof as I considered how much he'd changed. We used to be nearly identical. Both with long auburn hair and green eyes, the same skin tone and facial features. I look much the same, only thinner and paler, but he looked very different. His hair, which used to be as straight as mine, was unkempt and shaggy. He had gotten gaunt and marble white.

I then thought, as I looked at my reflection in my sword (yes, I have one, where do you think this is, High Rock?) and reflected upon who the "Master" Lazarus spoke of was. It was clearly him who had comissioned Iulius' death and the creation of the gem. But who was it, and why did he need my gem?

I was pulled from my meditations on these matters by a soft but persistent knock. I got up, sheathed my sword, and opened the door.


	18. The Immortal and the Wolf

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

The Story of Octavian

The Immortal and the Wolf

It was just about when I was thrown away from my open door by a powerful blast of Magicka that I realized that I made a dreadful mistake. I was thrown into the wall, and I got myself up, looking over my unexpected opponent. A very tall Nord in Ebony armor, with two longswords. This wouldn't be easy.

"Damn it," I said to him, "This is the second time in two days that I've had to worry about my house. Any reason you decided to ruin the paint job?"

He said nothing, just furrowed his brow in rage, with both swords drawn and ready. I paid close attention to the one he held above his head, it was covered with magickal flame.

I readied my own sword, preparing to quick-draw if he charged. He didn't. We both stared at the other, waiting for one to make the first move. There was something odd about his aura, something unfamilliar. Like a vampire, but not quite. He finally spoke.

"One of your kind," he said, "It was one of your breed that killed the only living soul I knew, the only friend I had left."

"Yeah? Well guess what? Nords killed half my men in Skyrim. But I don't go around wrecking their houses. And an Imperial killed my mentor, but you don't see my nieghbor's walls getting smashed."

"Monster!" He tyelled at me, and charged. He was incredibly fast, I barely managed to block in time.

"Spawn of Molag Bal!" He yelled with another charge. This time we both swung. I felt something on my side, and heard a grunt from the assailant. I fell to my knees, propping myself up with the sword. I could hear him get up, and I could see him out of my peripheral. He had a worse wound than me, but he was unphased. It was healing far faster than mine.

I felt the heat of the fire and the lightning on either side of my neck.

"Crap," I panted, "This is the second time in two days I've had my ass kicked. I must be losing my touch."

"Where is the Khajiit Vampire?" He asked me.

"Which godsdamn one? I only ever met one myself, but I'll tell you where I found him. In a cave south of here. I sliced his head clean off a few months back, so unless you want to find a Khajiit vampire corpse I won't be much help."

I felt a sharp kick, and flipped over to my feet, sword drawn and at his throat. Unfortuantely, his were at mine.

"Okay, we're not getting anywhere like this, wouldn't you say? I say we cut a deal."

"What would that be, Daedra-spawn?"

"First that you don't call me that. Second, we both sheathe our swords and try to talk this out. Third, I'm not cleaning that up." I gestured to the bloody mess around my foyer.

"How do I know you'll put the sword away, you're a vampire, a creature of deciet."

I rolled my eyes. "Look, I've seen how fast and strong you are, so I wouldn't wan't to fight you anyway. But can you think of anything I could do? My arm's getting a little tired holding a sword like this for this long."

"Nothing in particular."

"Then this sucks. I'm getting tired. How do you manage it? Those swords look heavy, and you've got two! Ah, hey, could you move the fire one over an inch or two? It's a little uncomfortable. You know, I burn easy."

"Sure," he said, and moved the superheated Dwemer blade over about two inches.

"Thanks."

"No problem."

"Where did you come across those anyway? They are clearly Dwemer, but I've never seen the like of either before. And the enchantment seems fairly unique as well."

"Why? Are you a scholar?"

"I'm very interested in Dwemer. Yes I am a scholar. Anything mysterious that I could take a look at?"

He put his swords down, and I sheathed mine. His mind throbbed with wariness, but it was tamed and calmed. "What are those?" He asked me, gesturing to the devices I'd been researching.

"I'm not sure. I found them in a ruin on the Hammerfell-Skyrim border. So, why'd you attack me?"

He then told me a tale that seemed rediculous, but I felt no lie in his mind. This man's name was Jongard, Nerevar Reborn. He had come from Morrowind seeking vengeance on a Khajiit vampire that had killed one of Morrowind's Man-Gods three years ago. He was told at the Soul Spire in Skyrim to come to Cyrodiil to find an Ally he'd meet as an Enemy.

"That seems to be me," I said, "but as for a vampire that had drank a god's blood, I can't help you. But then again…"

"What? Is there anything you know?"

"I might. Come with me."


	19. A New Enemy

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

The Story of Octavian

A New Enemy

Jongard easily kept pace as I ran to the cave. He continually astounded me. I knew that he could have easily killed me is he weren't tired from his many journeys. But even in his exaustion he could keep up with a pretty damn powerful vampire. His aura was still perplexing me, it felt beastly, feral and unfamilliar. I was curious, but we were almost at the cave.

This was yet another aura. Powerful, and absolutely terrifying. In it I felt the touch of familliarity. I cursed under my breath. This would be bad.

We both heard the laugh, and we both felt the tremors. The man himself walked dramatically out of his cave. Looking much healthier, and with his head decidedly not severed, was M'Razzar himself.

"You should have burned me." He said, gleefully.

"Can we skip the cliché monologue? My associate here has some buisness with you." I said.

"Very well. Nerevarine Incarnate, what buisness do you have with the future Emperor of Oblivion, Aetherius and Nirn?"

I had to interject. It just wouldn't have been me not to. "That's a tall order to fill. When do you plan on getting that done with? After Akatosh is killed or something? A little news for you, you pretentious jackass: Aetherius kills us."

He laughed, a low, resounding laugh that would have made Talos piss himself. "I think your friend may know the answer."

"Vivec's blood," Jongard muttered, "a god's blood will protect you from the light of Aetherius. But you only have enough for the distilled exposure on Nirn. The full strength of Aetherius itself is impossible for anyone to survive through."

"One gods blood, maybe it's not enough. But who says I'm stopping with one?" He said, drawing his new blade. It was a bizzare weapon, I couldn't tell quite what it looked like. As soon as I tried to focus on it, it fogged up and would change shape again.

Jongard and I prepared for battle. I used my usual stance, and Jongard did his, using both the Dwemer Blades. We both ran at him, prepared for a vicious battle. We got one. He ran, and jumped over both of us. We wheeled around and charged but he blocked our opening strikes lightning fast, then blew me back with some magick, sticking me on a pike on a tree. I watched the two of them fight. Jongard tried to pincer him, but M'Razzar jumped back, and easily dodged two blindingly fast stabs. He laughed and backhanded Jongard in the face. Nigh unaffected, Jongard attacked with a savage abandon. I couldn't free myself from the pike, so I was forced to continue my fruitless attempts at landing a ranged spell. Jongard kicked M'razzar in the face, and then stabbed the air where he had been. He turned slashing, and the Lightning sword was cought in the vampire's hand. Six times Jongard was stabbed in the stomach. He jumped back and spat blood. Switching fighting styles. He sheathed the lightning blade, and held the Fire sword ahead. He charged again, landing two solid hits on M'Razzar's bizzare weapon. He spun repeatedly, not hitting the vampire once. M'Razzar and Jongard were both way out of my league. Even I probably would have died against blows like the ones that had hit Jongard. A diagonal slash grazed M'Razzar's face before I finally freed myself from the pike. I charged and landed another mark on his face.

"Stop! This is my vengeance, my battle!" Jongard yelled as he blocked a powerful slash.

"This is my fight, too!" I yelled, "he's my problem!"

Either way, with me nowhere near as strong as they, and Jongard weakened from his journeys there was no hope. If he was at peak condition, he could have done it, but not now. Unfortunately, if we couldn't do it now, the bastard would get more and more powerful until no-one could stop him. He landed a solid blow to Jongard's chest, and sent him flying into a tree. He just stabbed me. It hurt, as usual. M'Razzar then looked at me with those evil eyes of his.

"I still need you alive." He said.

"Fuck you!" I yelled at him, almost screaming in pain. I don't know how he turned my rebellious and willful brother into a slave, but I was going to find out, and kill him for it.

"But your little friend here…" He said, pulling the sword out. I propped myself up on the katana. He was about to cut off Jongard's head. I ran at him and stabbed him in the heart. The bastard yelled and dissapeared, narrowly avoiding a tragic death. That over, we were left to assess our wounds and our next moves.


	20. The Plan

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

The Story of Octavian

The Plan

"What the hell were you thinking?" Jongard yelled, furious.

"I was thinking that M'Razzar's stronger than either of us alone! He'd have killed you if I wasn't here!" I yelled back, as my wounds healed.

"I had a plan!"

"It would have helped if you'd told me that."

We were getting nowhere fast. M'Razzar's aura had dissapeared with him when I backstabbed him, showing that he could travel large distances instantly. We had some serious problems on our hands, and bickering wouldn't help matters. We sprinted back to Chorrol, me feeding on a bandit on the way, We got back to my house two hours before dawn, so we could plan our next move.

"Okay, we know he managed to get Vivec's blood. We know he wants to be the absolute ruler of everything, and we know he kicked both of our asses. Any ideas?" I asked.

"Recap what happened with the Gem and that 'Sigil Stone' thing." Jongard said.

"I touched the stone, and the gem sucked in some energy, and the solid void became this." I said, showing him the scimitar-like Void Blade.

"So, the Sigil Stones are condensed Void, then maybe we could do this. I've heard that Varla Stones and Welkynd Stones are solid Aetherial runoff. Condensed Magic, basically. So, we need to go to an Ayleid Ruin and get some stones."

"Fine by me. Let's go."

We left the next night, I fed a little on a few rouges and cuttthroats before leaving. We hit a nearby ruin, and easily slew its ogre tenants. We found the Varla Stone, which stung my eyes, and the light from it made me itch. It began to shift and become smoke, as the Sigil Stone had done. It formed in my hands a light and sharp katana, which I instantly dropped with a yell and a burnt hand.

"Damn it." I said, "how am I supposed to fight M'Razzar with it if it burns me, too?" I asked as my hand healed.

Jongard took out a few scraps of Ebony Ore and Gold and lit a magickal fire. He quickly melted them into a pot, and removed a mold from his strange bag. He put the hilt of the new sword into it, and poured in the substance. He let it cool, himself using his own spells to create a pattern for the gold to flow around. Then, a quick Frost spell and the hilt was done. I picked it up again, and the ornate hilt felt comfortably warm.

I gave it a few test swings, then I practiced in earnest with complex techniques. Finally, I held it up and absorbed all the Welkynd and Varla stones in the ruin into the sword, which glowed so bright it lit up the whole place, and then subsided to a normal glow.

"So, I think we're ready." I said.

"Not quite yet." Jongard said.


	21. Training by Magic

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

The Story of Octavian 

Training by Magic

"What do we need to do first, then?" I asked.

"You need to close your eyes for a moment." Jongard replied, removing his weird right glove. "You will feel a slight f…l…o…a…"

What happened next has taken me ten years to find a verbal explanation for. I felt like I was suspended in lifeblood, in constant feeding. I couldn't tell how much time was passing. Seconds? Centuries? I didn't know. I awoke the same instant it started.

"…ting sensation. Done. Do you feel any different?"

"I'm not sure. What just happened?" I asked.

He put his glove back on, clearly all but unconsious. "I learned that from Vivec. I just taught you some of my best spells and techniques instantaneously. It may take you some time to sift through it all, but eventually you should be as strong as me."

"Okay. Let's get out of here."

We arrived at my house just before dawn. I rushed to the cellar and into my coffin. I awoke the next day to find a letter on my Dwemer Gadgets table.

"Left. A little buisness to take care of. Look in the desk, but son't use them, they'll kill you."

Inside my desk ands found Jongard's Dwemer glove, and the knife and hammer I saw on his belt. I made good on his advice, as I could feel the unstable power emanating from the weapons.

I went back to Cloud Ruler Temple the next night. I trained there for another month. I had become far more powerful than I had ever thought possible. After the training, I was ready to begin doing things for Jauffre and Martin.


	22. Mythic Dawn Discovered

_**Author's Note:** Sorry I took so long, school started and my time is difficult to manage. A little bit of Main Quest plot progression here._

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion 

The Story of Octavian

Mytrhic Dawn Discovered

I spoke to Jauffre, and got my first mission for the Blades.

"We have Martin here safe, but we need the Amulet of Kings." Jauffre said.

"Let me guess, I'm going to get it." I said. Of course I was going to have to do this.

"We don't know much about who stole it or why, but we have a man doing some undercover work in the Imperial City."

"Who would that be?"

"Baurus, the Emperor's bodyguard. He should be at Luther Broad's boarding house. You'll need to speak to him to get any more information."

"All right. But before I go, I want to see our Emperor-to-be." I requested.

"He should be eating now. I'm counting on you."

I made my way to the mess hall, admiring the architecture as I went. I sat on the other side of the table and was given a hearty welcome by him and my fellow Blades.

"Hello," he said, " I never really got the chance to thank you at Kvatch. We all would've died if you weren't there."

"Thanks. How does it feel to be an Emperor?" I asked.

"It's a little intimidating, really. I'm completely new at this 'nobility' thing. I've been a lowly priest since I left the Mages Guild as an Apprentice."

"What made you change your mind about being a Guild Mage?" I asked.

"I don't want to talk about that." Martin said, quickly.

For once, I took the hint. "Alright. If you need me for anything, ask Jaufrre to send a courier."

So I left for the Imperial City. I made it to the boarding house and sat next to Baurus. I ordered some wine, and with a swift movement emptied it into another man's cup and poured into my own a vial of bandit's blood.

Baurus whispered, "I'm going to get up, and go into the basement. Someone is going to follow me, follow them."

I downed the blood as Baurus got up. As he went through the door, I saw a shady man get up and follow him. I quickly followed suit. As I sped through the door, I saw him summon bound weapons and armor like the kind that I had seen in my daring escape. I drew the Aetherial Blade and quickly stabbed him in the back. I felt the raw magickal power from the weapon course through his body, and kill him.

"Thanks for that," Baurus said, "he'd been following me for a while. I've been looking into a few leads and I think I may have found something."

"Straight to buisness without even a 'hello?'" I said, jokingly. "What did you find?"

"A lot of leads led to a group call the Mythic Dawn. I think this confirms it. This is a Mythic Dawn book, and he has the same armor as the assassins." Baurus said.

"What is this? 'Commentaries on the Mysterium Xarxes' by Mankar Camoran?'" I flipped through it and it creeped me out with it's cryptic messages. "So what do we do now?"

"We find out as much about our enemy as we can. There are four volumes of the Commentaries, we need to find them all. The librarian at the Mage's Guild, Tar-Meena, may know where to find them.

"Alright. You clean up here, and I'll go talk to her. See you later."

I left and walked over to the Arcane University. Tar-Meena was sitting in the lobby.

"Hey, do you know anything about the 'Mysterium Xarxes?'" I asked, bluntly.

"Do you mean Mankar Camoran's 'Commentaries on the Mysterium Xarxes?' People often confuse them." She replied, just as bluntly.

"Yes, that."

"I have book two here, and coupled with book one it may serve you better. I don't have three and four, and I don't think anyone does. If anyone would have it, it'd probably Phintias at the First Edition."

"That was thorough."

"I'm used to working with the Blades. You don't need to even tell me to keep it quiet. If you find the other two books and bring them back to me, I'll help you with whatever you need."

"And _that_ was helpful." I said, amazed.

"You're welcome." She said, dismissively.


	23. Bookhunting

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

The Story of Octavian

Bookhunting

I had never been to the First Edition. I heard that it was a thoroughly stocked and generally friendly place. I heard right. The manager, Phintias, is to this day a very helpful man and a friend to all he meets. He first helped me in my search for the Commentarties.

I walked in and asked in my usual fasion: "Do you have 'Commentaries on the Mysterium Xarxes' books three and four?"

Phintias said, audibly regretful, "I only have book three, but that's on reserve for a man named Gwinas. He's come all the way from Valenwood for it, and my word is my bond."

"Is there any way I could get them?"

"You should ask Gwinas. He's scheduled to be here in an hour. Is there anything I can offer you while you wait?"

I answered, "One 'The Life of Uriel Septim VII,' and a copy of Crassius Curio's hit play. I heard it was good."

"I'm out of 'The Lusty Argonian Maid.' Sorry. It sold like sweetrolls. But I do have the other book."

I sat in a corner and read the short book. It was a good read, and I finished as a Bosmer with ornate robes came in.

"Hello. I'm here for the copy of the Commentaries, book three." Heard my vampire ears. He was clearly being secretive about it.

Phintias forked over the book, and Gwinas stalked out. I followed him, and stopped him in the street.

"Hello, sir. I couldn't help but notice that book you have." I said.

"It's Mankar Camoran's 'Commentaries' volume three. Camoran's views on Mehrunes Dagon are revolutionary."

"Literally. By the order of the Blades, I need that book."

"No way! Do you know how hard it was to get this?"

"They killed the Emperor!" I yelled at him. His eyes grew to the size of plates, and he was pale enough to be one of my kind.

"Are… you're serious aren't you?" He asked.

"Dead serious."

"I… I had no idea. I knew they were radical but… assassination?" He choked out the last word like a thick chunk of vomit. "Here. Anything I can do to help!" He practically threw the book at me, now more eager to get it away than he had been to obtain it.

"How can I get book four?" I asked, my very gaze burning into the innocent idiot who had nearly stepped into the most ferverently hunted organization in Cyrodiil.

"You need to get it from a sponsor. Here, I was left this note, it says where to meet him. Elven Garden sewers, be careful."

Gwinas ran off and dissapeared around a corner. I ran back to Baurus, I could tell I'd need some help, I just had a feeling.

We quickly ran to the Elven Gardens District and slipped into the sewers. It was a quick run to the door to the room where the mysterious sponsor would be waiting.

"I'll take point. These people killed the Emperor under _my_ charge. It's my duty." Baurus insisted.

"I'm fine with that. You realize we may well have to kill this guy." I hinted.

"That's what I'm hoping for."

I grinned, and nodded. "I'll go up this way. I'll cover you if things get hairy."

They did, of course. I snuck up on the bridge as Baurus sat in the little chair. A young Altmer man walked in. I became suddenly aware of the blood hunger coursing through my drying viens. But then he began to speak, and self-preservation kicked in.

"I'll handle this one. Kill the fiend."

I unsheathed my sword quick enough to block a blow from a well-concealed cultist. I wheeled around and kicked him as Baurus drew his katana and attacked the Altmer. I fought two men on the bridge. I took out my two magickal blades and attacked. I attacked the man to my left with the Void Blade and bocked a blow with the Aetherial. I was also blocked. I spun and managed to knock them back. I ran at one, allowing the other to follow. I jumped as he stabbed, and let one kill his comrade. One opponent being much more to my liking, I sheathed the Scimitar-like Void Blade and ran with the Aetherial sword two-handed. This cultist was fast, but I'd gotten a fun idea. I jumped back and cast a slight Dispel. His weapon, a shortsword, dissapeared as he slashed. I kicked him in the chest, then stabbed him.

My opponents defeated, I jumped off the bridge as Baurus finished with the Sponsor. Out of his robe fell the book we needed.

"That's done with, then. I'll take this to Tar-Meena. What'll you do?" I asked.

"I'll go to Emperor Martin's side, at Cloud Ruler Temple." He replied.

"Good, Martin can use the protection. Tell him I said 'hi.'"

With my bookhunt complete and dawn setting on, I fed on a thief in an alley and, rejuvinated and safe from the light, I continued my mission. I went straight for the University.


	24. A Revalation

_**Author's Note: **Okay, it took me a while, didn't it?Sorry, writer's block. I hope it's worth the wait, though._

_**Disclaimer: **Any Argonian Language here is my own invention, or accidentally similar._

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

The Story of Octavian

A Revalation

I reached the University after a short walk, and found Tar-Meena with no trouble. She was hard at work doing gods know what. I quickly approached and dropped the books in a bundle on the table.

"Hi." I said.

"Well, you've been busy. I assume these are the _Commentaries,_ correct?" She replied.

"Yes, that's them. If I stink of sewage-slime, those are why." I said.

"I grew up in Black Marsh for my first twenty years after my Naming. I am used to all manner of stink. My grandfather, Shi-An-Curt, brought me-" She began, but then I stopped her.

"Shi-An-Curt?" I asked, shocked.

"Yes, the mage. He was murdered by his own pupil a year ago-"

"That is a lie!" I burst, with my amplified vampire voice shaking the shelves of the library. "He was slain by an wretched, evil excuse for a human, who I plan on killing with my own demon's hands!"

Her eyes were opened. Her facial expression was discernable only by me, who had grown up mentored by the Argonian Shi-An-Curt, or in Tamrielic, Swims-With-The-Current.

"Who are you?" She barely managed to squeak.

"I am the vampire Octavian Bacchus, student of Shi-An-Curt, and bearer of his soul!" I tore off my glove and the gem glowed brightly, showing her all that had happened in Swim's own vision.

"My Lord Seht, it's not possible, is it?" She said, trembling at this monumental revalation. "He's in that gem?"

"Yes, it is. And I have become an Abomination of the Dark myself, and can avenge one dear to us both." I said, the words coming without thought. I knew that she could be trusted, if only because her Grandfather.

"Before I can do anything, I need to save the Empire," I told her. "Help me with that first, okay?" I said, putting my glove back on and suddenly looking more human, and less monster.

"A vampire saving the Empire? I'm amazed." She said, getting her wits back.

"Yes, well it's true. I hope saving the Empire improves my kind's reputation a little," I said with a smirk.

"Well, we'd best be on with figuring out what kind of message has been hidden in plain sight. As we do, you can tell me everything, just help me organize the vision I had from that gem."


	25. Two Reunions

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

The Story of Octavian

Two Reunions

Several hours after the revalations, I was off again. Together, Tar-Meena and I had managed to decode the book quickly. It had told me to go to the Green Emperor Way at noon. I managed to get there by noon that same day, and saw a map on one of the tombs. It had appeared and showed me exactly where to go, a small cave up to the northwest. I headed out, and managed to get there just as the sun was setting.

The darkness was a welcome respite from the itch of sunlight. I entered the cave, and felt the intense magickal energies inside it. I stepped in, considering both possible options and quickly choosing.

The silence in the cave was opressing. Then I saw him. The doorman. I ran at him, drawing both my opposing blades. I sliced him into two and took the key from his neck. I opened the door and ran through the masses, cutting many men into confetti. Then came the mages. They unloaded their spells, which I couldn't evade. They apprached in a wall until they exploded.

Lazarus, my prodigal brother, stood before me, shielding me from the mages. He had erected a barrier.

"Lazarus?" I disbelievingly asked.

"Shut up and go! I can't hold them –or _him_- forever. _He_ wants it too. Run!" He urged.

I ducked into a side passage as he began to wade throgh them, brutally slaying them all. I continued forward, praying for his salvation. He had almost killed me before, but he was still my brother.

I entered a huge cavern. In the center I saw him. Mankar Camoran. He was giving a sermon before a giant statue of Mehrunes Dagon.

"These are the words of Lord Dagon-" He began.

"Yoo-hooo!" I yelled. All eyes turned to me as I flung my best spell at him. I saw it make contact, but he had it in his hand, keeping it back. I pushed with all my might, and he slid back, but I was no match for his skills. He hurkled it back, and it struck the rocks above my head. I jumped down to avoid being crushed. All of his men drew their weapons as he opened a portal and stepped in, the Amulet of Kings in hand.

"No…" I said, still winded and unable to rise from the fall.

I heard a terrible yell from above, and I saw twin blades of fire and lightning slice down the nearest adversary. I watched him chop, then pincer, then dual stab his way through the throng. In the center he was stabbed, and filled with arrows. I then saw Jongard's true face.

He ripped off his armor and changed before my eyes. He grew a snout, and fur began spilling from his limbs. His eyes glowed white, and his nails became claws. The mighty and heroic Nerevarine was a werewolf. He slaughtered them all, butchered them like defenseless cattle. He grabbed a book off the altar. He then grabbed me and an Argonian prisoner in his paws, gently holding the book in his jaws, and brought us from the cave.

We spilled out into the crecent moon's light, and he returned back to his human form, taking some spare pants from his bag.

"So you're a werewolf." I said.

"Yes. I'm a monster too." Jongard replied.

"Well, we're two of a kind, hmm? We can both bring our kinds good names. You already can, you're a big hero."

"Why should we, we're monsters, we both barely deserve to live."

"Damn, you're so tight. I could shove some ebony in your ass and get friggin' pebbles."

The Argonian woke up. "Where am I?" He asked.

"You've been freed. Go home." Jongard said.

"Oh, gods be praised! They were going to sacrifice me! I'm a priest at the Temple of the One, if you're ever in the city, come and see me!"

He ran down the mountain and out of sight. Jongard and I sat outside the cave. "We need some help. I'm an operative of the Blades. They have a headquarters near here." He said.

"Cloud Ruler Temple." I replied, "That's where I was enlisted. I'm a Blade too, directly in the service of Grandmaster Jauffre and Emperor Martin Septim."

"They let your kind in the Blades?" He asked, incredulous.

"They let your kind in the Blades?" I repeated, hintingly.

"Good point. Enough bickering, follow me to the Headquarters" He said, and headed east.

"It's that way," I said, pointing to the west.

"Damn. All right, I'll follow you, but don't try anything."

"What's with this, man? You gave me those Dwemer things, and now you're suspicious again?"

"Oh, Azura, you don't know, do you?" He asked.

"Don't know what?"


	26. A Potential Setback

_**Author's Note:** Sorry for the delay folks. School and a wealth of other things kept me, but I'm back! The next chapter will be longer and probably better._

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion 

The Story of Octavian

A Potential Setback 

Jongard stared as I waited for him to continue. Something had him riled.

"By virtue of the fact that M'Razzar sired you, he can possess you. Like your brother. So at any time you could go crazy and attack anything he wants you to." He said, after a moment.

I waited a moment, letting this sink in. Then I realized the full magnitude of what he said, and my mind instantly buzzed with potential strategies. "Let's get moving, and we'll discuss this on the way."

We started our walk, myself staying slow enough for Jongard to keep pace. "Lazarus resisted, if not for long, and I haven't done anything yet that I wouldn't have done. Is there anything that may be holding him back?"

Jongard considered, grabbing a small herb from the side of the road and stuffing it into his pack. "Perhaps your brother retains enough of his will to keep M'Razzar distracted?"

I felt my gem grow warm and rumble. Perhaps another was bearing the full force of the mental blows on my behalf? "My gem. Swims is helping. If they're both helping, maybe I can resist him?"

"Perhaps. How good did you bleed him when you fought the first time? And how much did he feed you?"

I thought for a moment, recollecting the night. I'd beheaded him, but left the head to close. I definitely bled him a lot, but they said I took too much… "A lot for both. And why the hell does that matter?"

"Because you are a demi-god," Jongard said, "and so is he."

That stopped me in my tracks. I whipped around. "Bullshit," I said, "I may be immortal, but a god? Dude, stop playing."

"It's true. It's why I'm in Cyrodiil. I swore an oath to destroy the kin of the vampire who killed my closest friend. That vampire was M'Razzar and my friend was Vivec. That was a year before he sired you."

"I still think you're lying. How could I be a demi-god?"

"Believe what you want, but it's true."

"Either way, if he's a god or not I bled him dry. Most of his blood would be mortal stock now. I think I can use that. Now shut up and climb." I said, and we began the ascent up the mountain to Cloud Ruler Temple. Then I felt a searing heat on my back. I screamed with pain as the light of the dawn enveloped my body. The last thing I remember seeing was Jongard running at me with a cloak, and covering me from imminent doom, and then I blacked out.


	27. Waking Up

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

The Story of Octavian

Waking Up

I awoke, it was quiet and dark. My entire body stung. I tried to open my eyes, but the movement hurt me, so I made to with making weak noises to alert anyone nearby that I was still just undead.

"He's waking up!" I heard one voice, Jauffre's, say.

"Finally some good news." I heard Martin chime in.

"Uhhh…." I said, trying to shut them up. Their voices hurt my ears.

"Quiet!" I heard Jongard say. "He's been burnt very badly, he needs time and quiet to heal."

They were silent for another hour. I felt the pain lessen and I tried opening my eyes. I could, but even the dim candlelight hurt them.

"Put out the candles." I heard Martin say. "Cast Night-Eye if you feel you need to."

I opened my eyes to total darkness. I could see just fine, as could everyone but Jauffre, who had never been magickally inclined.

"Don't move," Jongard said, "you were nearly immolated. I managed to cover you and bring you here. You should be fine in a few days."

"The book, where is it?" I managed to choke out. Talking hurt my throat.

"I have it," said Martin, "I'm going to try and decode it, and hope it's influence dosen't posess me. It may be the key to getting into Camoran's Paradise and retrieving the Amulet."

"I told them everything. We've managed to keep your condition hidden from most of the Blades, but Liutenant Baurus, Jauffre and Captain Stephan had to know." Jongard said.

"Don't bother with the secret-keeping. I don't care if anyone here knows. They already know me well enough to not care or deal with it." I replied. "When can I be on my feet again?"

"You should be able to walk again by tomorrow, if we're lucky," Jauffre said, "When you are, your first mission won't be anything too strenuous. We have some reports of Mythic Dawn spies outside of Bruma, near the Doomstone. Tomorrow night I want you to check on them."

"Sounds easy enough. What about him?" I said, weakly pointing to Jongard.

"First he says he needs to go and get something of his, then he's coming back to be your partner."

"Oh, great." I said. This would be fun.

"Tomorrow night right after sundown go and see Captain Burd, he'll tell you what to look for." Jauffre said. "Now get some sleep, you look terrible."


	28. Yokuhi Sword Training

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

The Story of Octavian

Yokuhi Sword Training

It was sunset, or it had been moments ago. I awoke ready, and feeling incredible. I walked out to the courtyard and felt the cold, crisp air on my face. I watched the newly appointed Liutenant, Baurus, and another Blade step into a small square and spar. Baurus fought well, using a strange style. He quickly and decisively beat his opponent, they bowed respectfully, and I intercepted Baurus on his way out.

"A liutenant!" I said, patting him on the back, "good to see your life's moving."

"Good to see you still have one!" He said, totally undaunted by what I was. It seemed that he had figured out that I meant no harm.

"What was that you were doing there? I've never seen a sword wielded that way."

"It's an old Yokuhi style. My father was a Blade in service to the Imperial Interests in Hammerfell. He perfected the use of a katana with the it, and taught me all he knew before he died during the Warp in the West."

"Think you could teach me a little?"

"Sure, anything for a friend."

We walked back to the sparring area and he drew his sword, holding it backwards, the hilt forward and blade back.

"Now hold the blade like this," he said, and I did it.

"Okay, now the key is to sweep up and across the chest, or to spin it twice and switch it from right, to left, then back."

He demonstrated, and I tried it. He continued to teach me techniques before I told him that I'd soon have to leave. Before I turned to go, he said, "maybe you could show me how your style matches it?"

That was a challenge, a playful one, but one nonetheless. "So, my dual swords against the Yokuhi? All right," I said, turning and drawing both, "let's play."

We both prepared ourselves, and he jumped at me, swinging his sword over his shoulder, switching hands, and coming around. I lifted one sword, then attempted a counter with another. His sword was perfectly placed, he caught both of mine on his, and shoved them aside and kicked. I spun backwards in the air, and noticed a slight crowd drawing, growing steadily bigger. I thought to myself: "I'd better give them a show."

I ran forward and jumped myself, flipping over in the air, and coming down with a crash. He dodged left and blocked the one blade he was in range of. I kicked, but he just shrugged it off and charged with a cry. He'd noticed them too. He came with the ferocity of a lion, and swung across. I blocked it, and spun, trying to land a hit with my hilt. He blocked my arm with his, and slammed with his left onto my chest. I jumped back, honestly a little winded. Baurus was a lion! He ran at me again, this time trying a low strike. I jumped over it and gave him a tap on his helmet with the blunt side of the blade. He jumped back and was open, so I ran forward and held my blades to his neck.

"You win, I concede. You'll have to teach me that sometime."

Just then, Martin and Jauffre walked up, having seen the whole thing. Martin was wide-eyed with awe, he'd clearly not seen that kind of sword skill before.

Jauffre was also impressed. "Baurus has always been a fierce fighter, but you still managed to beat him. I'm amazed! I'm glad you're on our side!" But then he added, "Now you should be getting down to Bruma, you don't have forever, you know."

He was right, and it was time for me to leave. I bowed respectfully to Baurus, and left through the main gate towards the city.


	29. Getting Back Out

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

The Story of Octavian

Getting Back Out

I walked to Bruma and went into the castle. It didn't take me long to find Burd. A giant of a man, with a sword to match. He was pretty gruff about everything.

"Alright, Blade. The Countess told me you were coming. whadda you want?" He said.

"I want to find the spies in Bruma, get everything I can out of them, and probably kill them." I replied.

"Well that's good. People say they've seen folks sneaking around the doomstone at about Midnight. It's between the city and that Temple of yours."

I left. He didn't seem to like Blades, or anybody, that much. He reminded me of a lot of people I knew from Skyrim. I waited at the Doomstone for a little while, and figured I should probably feed on one or the other of the spies. They came out of the city gate at Midnight. One, a man, said to the other, "Your orders from the upper echelons, Jearl, are to keep monitoring the secret passage to your house and prepare the Stone for inscribing. A mage will be along through it in three days to take the stone to Lord Dagon."

"Yes sir, should I return to my home now?" Jearl asked.

"No, we also need to scout out the area around Bruma to find the safest route to the Temple up there."

"Yes sir."

I snuck around and kept to the shadows. The blood hunger ached in my veins, and I could see who knew more. So I fell from a rock and fed on Jearl. Redguard tasted a touch like well-done meat. Not bad, but not a favorite. I destroyed the body.

I then felt totally rejuvenated from my little incident, so I appeared in front of the Mythic dawn Officer. He was understandably startled, but didn't have time to react before I severed his magicka with a quick destruction spell and ripped the pathetic Iron dagger from his belt. Before he could make a sound, I grabbed him by the throat and pushed him against the cliff face.

"You know what I need to know. I'll ask you, and you'll tell me. If you tell me the right information, and quickly, and leave the Mythic Dawn, I'll let you go. If you tell me, but stay in with them, either the Empire will have you executed, or you'll be killed when we wipe them out. If you lie, I'll have to get creative. Do we understand each other?" I asked.

"Don't kill me, I have a family! I'm only in this-" He began, I probed his mind. He didn't have any family.

I decided that this would be a warning. I cast a slight strength sapping touch spell through the hand around his throat.

"That's what I mean, now tell me, how many men do you have?"

"Three-thousand in Bruma county, over ten thousand in all of Cyrodiil."

That wasn't what I wanted to hear, but he was telling the truth. "How do you make Oblivion gates?" I asked.

"We have Lord Dagon inscribe a ball of Void with a daedric symbol, and that gives it staying power and the ability to hold a permanent gate open."

"Where is the secret passage to Jearl's house? lead me to it. Try to run away and you'll get roasted." I threatened.

I let him go, and he began to lead me. After a moment, he made a break for it. I cast a weak fire spell and hit him square in the back. He fell, screaming, as the fire disintegrated his shirt and began to burn his back. I quickly put it out.

"I don't make idle threats, you useless pile of Guar shit. Now take me to the passage or I might not remember to put you out."

He whimpered and staggered over to a pile of rocks. He said, "Here it is, now please let me go!"

"I told you that if you were good and obedient, I'd let you go. You were not obedient." I said. "You're being handed over to captain Burd." I marked the spot with a red flag and brought the officer to Burd.

"I got the spies. One's dead and the other's right here." I said.

Burd laughed a hearty laugh. "Great! maybe I misjudged you Imperials, and the Blades. What'd you get out of him?"

"I marked a secret passage with a red flag. Station some men in there and have them arrest anyone who goes in. The rest I need to get to the Blades and Emperor Martin."

'You've got it, buddy. Hey, wait," He said, "I think I know you from somewhere. Your name start with an 'O?'"

Then I recognized him. "Burd! You useless skooma-head!"

"Oc! You fast-talking asshole! I heard you were dead!"

"Not quite. So after Skyrim you came here?"

"Aye. And apparently you're a Blade now. What's with the sudden burst of patriotism? After all that 'We don't need the Empire! let's join the War of Bend'r Mak!' stuff, I thought you'd abandoned the Empire completely." Bur said.

"Hey, the Empire's gotten better since then. Jagar Tharn really brought it down, but the last Emperor did what he could to fix that up. I gotta be going, but I'll probably be back."

I walked out of the castle, refreshed after seeing an old friend. But one more thing happened before I could return to the Temple. As I walked out of the castle, I heard someone sneaking, very badly, on the rooftops. I heard a bow being drawn , and I whipped around as I heard the _"twang"_ of it, and I jumped aside. It stuck into the snow and melted it. A fire arrow. I jumped up to the roof and caught my attacker by the neck.

"Monster! Beast!" He yelled. He was a fanatical vampire hunter. After wasting several minutes trying to reason with him, he whipped out a concealed dagger and stabbed me in the gut. His dagger wasn't enchanted or special in any way, so I was very nearly unphased. Being now justified and out of patience, I tightened my grip and snapped his neck. I searched his possessions, and found a ring with a small set of fangs carved on it, and a necklace of vampire fangs. He must have seen me feed on Jearl. Either way, I had quite a bit to do, so I made my way up the mountain to Cloud Ruler temple.


	30. The Last Reunion

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

The Story of Octavian

The Last Reunion

I got back to the temple and the night was still young. I found Jauffre in the massive Anteroom of the temple, ornately decorated with the swords of fallen Blades reverently hung from the ceiling.

"How did your evening of spying go?" Jauffre asked.

"I had a bloodsucking good time. Nearly got stuck on a fire arrow on the way back, but I got the spies. One's dead and the other's in jail. We won't be getting any more trouble from them." I replied. Jauffre winced at my turn of phrase, but was relieved.

"I think Martin would have more for you to do. If not, then you can have a bit of a break until we find something hard enough. Also, Operative Jongard hasn't returned, yet, so I couldn't give you a mission if I had one."

I found Martin sitting a little closer to the fire, looking over the Xarxes. "No luck yet, my friend. It's slow going, and I need to break often or risk the book's power consuming me. I suppose you've finally got another vacation."

I did. It was finally time to go home.

Home, the manor house in Blackwood. Why did I just think to go there? It was strange, I hadn't thought about my old house for a long time. I actually had not been there for six years. Not since my father died of old age. But I decided to follow the random urge. I traveled by night for two weeks. I passed into the swamps of Blackwood on the twelfth day, and continued my journey until I found it. I didn't like what I saw.

It was completely fine. As though it hadn't been touched by time. This bothered me significantly. Someone was here, and I still owned the house so it was an intruder, not a new owner. I tried to see if I could use my vampiric senses to detect the inhabitants, but I couldn't. If someone was there, they were masking themselves with vampiric magick of their own. But at the same time, a strange feeling of warmth washed through my heart. I hadn't been home for six years. I was finally home.

I could tell you I didn't cry, but I did. I shed a tear of joy at seeing it again. I couldn't believe it, I touched my cheek and felt the wetness to make sure. Not since I fell from the second floor balcony and broke my leg when I was six did I cry. The memory of something that had happened here made the feeling even deeper. I walked into the large double doors and breathed in the scent. It was exactly the same. The soft lights from the Chandeliers we'd bought from Firsthold, the oak-and-ebony door into the main hall, where we'd held our celebrations. I walked in there and met the one who had kept up my house in my absence.

"Good to see you, brother." Lazarus said, turning away from the table, towards me. "Remember all the fun we had in here when we were kids? We used to play hide-and-seek in the gallery."

"I do. You were always good at it. I could never find you 'till you showed yourself." I said, walking up to him. "Thanks for keeping the house in order."

"It was no problem, really. It was mostly Swims up until about a year and a half ago, when he died. He wanted to tell you about me. About what I had become. I wouldn't let him. I was afraid you'd all be ashamed of me." Lazarus said, quietly.

"I was never ashamed of you. Not for anything. Except the once when you stole my horse, but you needed it to get to your date, so I forgave you quick enough."

"That was a hell of a time. She dumped me a week later but it was a wild night."

"What was her name, anyway?" I asked, letting myself grin, "she was hot."

"I forget too. You should've seen her with her clothes off, though!" Lazarus laughed. "Whoo. She was a pretty big whore, though."

"So," I asked, "Were you waiting for me?"

"Yes." He said. "He told me to kill you when you came."

"Why do you work with him? Together we're stronger than he could ever be! We could blow him off his throne of lies, and you'd have your life back!"

"I can't. I'm…." He paused, "I'm too weak."

"You aren't weak! You never were and never will be! I know he can control minds, but he can't keep you! You're too strong for him!"

"I can't! I want to, but If I do, he'd be able to focus enough of his energy on you to get you under his control, and that'd be the end of it! We'd all be dead! He needs your power! If he can take you he can take it all. The Oblivion Crisis is nothing compared to what he could do if he got you on his side! You have the blood of a god in you! I don't, it was after my birth that he got his own god's blood. I don't matter, as long as you can stay free."

"I won't let you sacrifice your freedom for me! I have the gem, Swims can keep me blocked, and you can be free again! You could go somewhere far away like Valenwood or High Rock and hide until I kill him."

"It won't work. If he can get enough of a foothold in the gem he'll be able to take you over even easier."

"There has to be a way to free you! I'll find a way, or I'll make one!"

"It's too late for me, big brother." he said. The finality in his voice stopped me.

"I'm sorry." I said. "I'm sorry I can't free you. At least not until he's dead. But If I kill him, maybe you'll be free. He can't control you if he's dead, right?"

"You have a point, but killing M'Razzar won't be a simple thing. It'll take more than the sword you have there, he's all but immune to sunlight even at his worst now. He's gaining power by the day. Now I have to be sorry brother, I don't have a choice in this." he said, and drew his sword.

"I know. But you do have the choice to flee if things get hairy." I said, and drew my steel swords, not willing to use my opposing Magic-and-Void set. "Let's go."

We ran at each other, and I crossed my blades above my head as he cut down, and I stopped the blow. I jumped back and ran again. He flipped over my head then vanished up to the walkway on the next floor, disappearing into the gallery door. I jumped up as high as I could, scaled the wall from halfway, and entered.

The gallery was dark, filled with niches, plaques, paintings, suits of armor, crates of ancestral weapons, and all manner of twisting passages. I crept through slowly, blades at the ready, until he made his attack. He jumped out from behind the armor of my ancestor, Horatio the Giant, and I blocked his blow with my left sword and thrust with my right, but he dodged out of the way. He kicked me in the back, but I managed to use the momentum it gave me to swing, leaving a gash on his left cheek. It healed almost instantly, but it made it clear that unlike our rooftop battle on my Chorrol house, this time we were evenly matched. I ran at him, swinging from above and beside. He blocked the side blow by thrusting his word into the ground, and pivoted about it like a fan to dodge the other. He ripped it from the floor and spun. I swung under it and hit his jaw with the pommel of my left blade. He stumbled back as his jaw set back into it's joints. He prepared a spell, and I did likewise. His hand coated in Darkness, and mine in lightning. We both let our spells out at once, they collided halfway, his beam of Shadow Magic from the obscure underground mages of Skyrim, and my spell from the Skyrim glory days. This had become a wizard's battle. I focused all of my will into my spell, and he did likewise. Neither of us could gain any ground. Our powers were equal. I wanted to stop, to end the brotherly fighting, but I couldn't. as much as he did, he couldn't. The rage boiled in me that another being controlled my beloved brother, and my spell changed from blue to purest white. I gained ground. M'Razzar's voice spoke through his mouth. "You… can't win, child. Join me!"

"Fuck up, asshole!" I yelled, and my spell flashed. 'Let him go!" The spell shone, brighter and brighter, until the gallery lit up like the day. M'Razzar screamed, his Shadow Magic was weakening. I pressed my advantage, and let out my war-cry. "NO!" he yelled. "I will kill you!"

"Go, you dickweed, get out of my brother!"

My spell enveloped Lazarus. M'Razzar shrieked as the pain transmitted, passing Lazarus completely. It didn't hurt him at all. He didn't feel a thing as he was consumed. "Thank you." I heard in my mind as his ashes swept around me. "It's over."

"No!" I yelled. Lazarus had let himself die in the spell. I had tried to send him the plan with my mind, but he didn't get it.

That wasn't it. He ignored it. He knew that the spell would vaporize him. He knew that if he'd cast reflect he would have lived, but M'Razzar would have still been in him. He wanted to be released, and to go out with a bang.

I fell to my knees and cried.


	31. The Depths of Madness

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

The Story of Octavian

The Depths of Madness

I sat there for a long time. There were no windows, so the day passed by outside, and I snapped up when night fell again. My sadness left me in a rush, and my heart felt squeezed and tightened. A pounding began in my head. I began to pant and shake, then I yelled out as my already monstrous senses expanded with my rage. The yell shattered every window in the house, and I blew through the door to the gallery and jumped out.

My bloodshot eyes started straight ahead as I made a beeline for Skingrad. I made it in six hours, my rage fueling my speed and strength to levels I'd never thought possible. I leapt with a single hop over the wall, not caring that people gasped at my sunken, demonic appearance as I landed among them. I walked straight towards the castle.

A guard stopped me at the gate. "Sir, the Count's not" was all he got out before I grabbed him by the throat. "Yes he is." I said and threw him against the wall. Hard. He groaned and got up, but I was long gone. I jumped in two leaps to the Janus' quarters.

"By the Nine!" He gasped as he saw me, "what's happened!?"

"Give me power. Teach me everything. Now!" I said, forcefully.

The next instant was a jumble of flashes and pops, but after it I was pinned to the wall, Janus' hands around my throat. "You need blood. You're going mad!"

"No shit! I also need to kill M'Razzar. He killed my brother!"

"There will be a time for that! But it's not now!" He yelled. "if I went and tried to get revenge on impulse like you are, I'd be dead!"

"My brother was vaporized before my eyes! I'm supposed to sit and wait? What the hell did he do to you?"

"My wife is in a blood coma. She refuses to feed and rather than embrace them monster within us all, like you're doing now, she allowed herself to fall into a sleep which she may never wake from! _He_ made us what we are fifty years ago!"

I lashed out with all my strength and his arm snapped back. I leapt out the window into the streets, rage filling my mind like a red cloud. All through my mind were thoughts of blood. I suddenly felt my dry veins ache. Then I roared an inhuman roar as an arrow penetrated my shoulder. I saw two hunters. An old man with a bow and a young woman. I jumped, nearly flew, over to the old man and drank him dry. I grunted and faced the woman. My rage slowly subsiding. I had seen the ring and the necklace like the ones on the Bruma hunter on the old man. She only bore the ring.

'Why the hell are you coming after me?" I asked, wiping the blood off with my sleeve.

"Monster!" She yelled, and charged at me. I couldn't help but chuckle. She was good with a blade, certainly, but I disarmed her in a moment. "I repeat my question, pretty. What's your business with me?" She really was. Is. Shortish brown hair, bright green eyes, face to die for, and a hell of a body.

"You're a bloodsucking monster. Either kill me and get it over with, or let me go, just don't make me one of you."

"Let you go? You just tried to kill me! Or rather the dead guy did," I said, giving the corpse a bone-crunching kick that made her cringe. She was clearly new. "Oh, you didn't think in Vampire Hunting you might bite off too much? Sorry for the pun."

She said in a voice that was steady as a rock, "We need to keep Cyrodiil safe from monsters like you. Sometimes we need to sacrifice ourselves for it."

"So, do you hate me, the man?"

"You're not a man, you're a devil!"

"Bullshit. Okay, would you have liked me before I was changed about… almost a year ago?" She looked shocked. "Oh, what? Did _they_," I paused to kick the body again, "tell you that ancients were going to be easy kills? You can't even take down a new blood, pathetic worms."

"I don't know. But you're not who you were before."

"More bullshit. I'm still the same big-mouthed asshole I was before, only now I've got a brother as well as a mentor to avenge."

"Mentor…? Then you're…?"

"Sir Octavian Bacchus, Knight Brother of the Blades, former warrior in Skyrim, framed for murder, released by the Emperor."

"Framed?"

"Dark Brotherhood."

"My cousin fought under you in the war." She said, quietly.

I lowered my sword. She seemed to have calmed down.

"He always admired you, I found myself admiring you. He died just recently of a vampire attack, that's why I joined the Order of the Fangs."

"Don't judge us all. I don't hate Nords, do I?"

"No, I guess you don't."

"Exactly. I'm sorry about your cousin. Was it Eluric?"

"Yes. And I'm sorry about Lazarus, if you really meant he's dead."

"So you must be Elena?" I asked.

"Yes." She said.

"Well, I'll catch you later. Oh, and you might want to do something about him," I said, kicking the corpse again, "he's starting to shit himself."

She nearly retched. She wasn't cut out for death, not yet. But I saw it in her. She would be fierce one day.

"Let me help you. Was he pious?" I asked.

"Yes." She said.

I said a prayer over his body, and cremated it with magick.

'See you around," I said with a wink as I walked back to the castle. I had to apologize to Janus. I really didn't mean to do that. I could hear his reprimands already. Mostly because he was standing next to me.

"What the hell were you doing!?" he yelled in my ear after appearing as if from nowhere.

"Chatting up a cute girl?" I said.

"No, leaping over walls, tossing my guards around like crumpled paper, and killing a senior member of the most feared Vampire Hunting organization in Cyrodiil!"

'So I take it this was bad?"

"BAD!? You've brought them here! They'll follow you to the ends of the world, and if they find me out I'll be burned out of my castle!"

"Maybe you heard what I was just telling Elena? Don't hate everyone for the one?"

"They were already almost done brainwashing her. If you hadn't stepped in, I don't want to think of what she would have become. She may someday thank you. But most people aren't so lucky. Their new members are brainwashed completely because the Hierarchy fears that they'll learn about our human side otherwise. She won't kill you but the rest will."

"I'm sorry. I… I killed Lazarus by accident, but this power filed me as I did it, power that M'Razzar has too."

"Then we have to kill him. And we'll do it together."

"You're coming with me?"

"I want to kill him for what he's done to my wife!"

I laughed a full, rolling laugh. "Then we have a band. An old man, a fledgling and a werewolf averting an apocalypse? I can't wait!"

Janus laughed. "The Oblivion Crisis will also need some ending. I'm at your side. I can fight at least as well as you. And your werewolf friend?"

"Jongard. The Nerevarine."

"What? He's alive!? He's REAL!? With the three of us, we can't be stopped!" He said, almost squealing with delight.

"No way in Oblivion. We'll kill anything that get's in our way! M'Razzar, Mehrunes Dagon, the Dark Brotherhood, the Order of the Fang, we'll wipe 'em all out!"

I had one more member in mind for my Band of Heroes. Elena hadn't awakened yet, but when she did, no mortal could match her power. I could sense it in my bones. Mortal, young Vampire, old one and Werewolf. All the species of Tamriel would come and stop these evils from consuming our world.


	32. Setting Out Again

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

The Story of Octavian

Setting Out Again

Janus grabbed an antique suit of armor, his ancestor's personal obsidian suit, and walked out looking like a real adventurer. We set out towards nowhere in particular, knowing that someone with knowledge would come to us sooner or later, probably hostile, and I knew that I would enjoy getting the information. I discovered my liking for interrogation when I questioned the spy.

"Only call me 'Janus' out here, Octavian," Janus said to me as we walked, "if people knew I was Count Hassildor of Skingrad then we would never be able to slip in quietly."

"You're jumpy." I said.

"I am. I actually never go and do these kinds of things myself. Usually I find some adventurer-for-hire who either doesn't care or can't tell what I am."

"So if it weren't for your anger about your wife, you wouldn't be helping me?" I asked.

"Probably not. It's not that I can't fight, it's just that I find battle distasteful."

"There you are!" yelled a familiar voice.

"Jonny!" I yelled out. The werewolf walked towards me, then his eyes darted to my companion. His hand reached for his hilt, but unlike our first encounter there was no combat. "He's with me, he's on our side. His is Count Hassildor of Skingrad." Janus shot me a look but I said 'He'll be traveling with us, he has the right to know."

"He's a werewolf!" Janus said after a moment. "I don't feel comfortable with a werewolf so close."

"I hate vampires, for the most part," Jongard said and snarled, his feral blue eyes gleaming.

"You both shut up before I leave you here for dead!" I said, startling them both. "Either get over your prejudices or I'll take on Oblivion, M'Razzar and the Fangs by myself! And you guys don't want to see me dead, do you?" I asked, menacingly.

Needless to say, that quieted them. We began walking. Leaving an easy-to-follow trail for our first goal, find out where the Order of the Fang was based. One of them would look for us, and we'd trap him. It didn't take long. We were a few miles north of Anvil on a hill. Janus and I had just fed, and Jongard returned with the prey from his night's hunt in his jaws. He quickly returned to human form and cooked some rabbit stew. Janus was teaching me some more of my vampire powers.

"With focus, you can cause terror to flow through anyone who looks you in the eye, rendering them a gibbering mess at will."

"So how do I do it?" I asked.

"Just focus on their minds, on fear. If you think about it hard enough and with enough malice, they'll collapse, trembling at your feet."

"There's some things you need to know too, and since I've just learned something new, I guess it's your turn."

'Alright," Janus said, "what is it?"

"When you first found me, you were about to say M'Razzar hadn't sired anyone since you and your wife, right?" As I said this, Jongard began meditating.

"I was."

"Well, he also made my brother one of us, definitely less than fifty years ago."

"Then now I'm truly baffled as to how you're so powerful."

"This is the part that'll scare you." I said.

"Go ahead and tell me."

"M'Razzar is what's behind Vivec's disappearing." I said, and he knew exactly what I meant.

"So you have god's blood in you?" He asked. "Then we're lucky he used the old ritual on you. He didn't on me, so he can't use his mind-control. But if he did with you…" He let the suggestion hang in the air. I pointed with my left hand with my right as Jongard stood up suddenly and walked into the bushes.

"Swims is in my gem, and he's protecting me. Also, me and Lazarus did enough damage to shut up the pompous ass when…" I had to stop there. The memories were still too painful.

We heard a yelp from the bushes and Jongard came over carrying a Bosmer with the fang signet ring and necklace. The bait worked.

I quickly set to work questioning our newest little buddy.

"Where are you based?" I asked.

"Go to hell, beast!" Was the reaction, just as I expected it to be.

"Wrong answer." I said calmly. I then wrapped my hands around his wrists and said, "You did this, not me." I cast a touch fire spell, and he cried out as his flesh was seared.

"Now my question." I said, menacingly.

"Eat my ass, monster!" I decided to try something new. I grabbed him by his left foot then cast a potent freezing spell. He yelled out again.

"Bosmer, you'll never climb or run again if you don't give me what I want, now tell me!"

He spat in my face, and I growled, suddenly he was in tears, mumbling semi-coherently to himself as horrid visions passed over his waking eye. "Reign of Terror," Janus had called this spell, the pride and joy of the young vampire.

"The giant pair of fangs in the Jeralls, speak the name of the Lord." he said, then died of his fear.

"Who's the lord?" I asked.

"Arkay." Jongard said calmly. "Arkay is the lord of life and death, and is the sworn enemy of your kind. Who better to be the patron deity of a fanatical cult of vampire hunters?"

"Cult?" I asked. I had seen the brainwashing, and helped a friend escape it. But Cult? "What do you mean?" I asked.

"I was with them when I started tracking the Khajiit vampire," Jongard said. "They had the means to hunt with deadly ability, but their demands that I relinquish all gods but Arkay and kill any whose life is an affront against him, including necromancers and werewolves, were too much. I'm friends with one and am the other, so I had to leave before the full moon. But now that we know where one of our enemies are, we can move a little more safely. Now, since we're going to the Jeralls anyway, we should go to the temple, perhaps Martin or Jauffre have something for us."


	33. Blood of the Daedra

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

The Story of Octavian

Blood of the Daedra

We got to Cloud Ruler Temple with little incident. Jauffre expected to see both Jongard and myself, but the appearance of the third of our party surprised him.

"This is Janus, he's a trusted friend of mine. He'll be helping me out." I quickly explained.

"Well, that's fine by me. Martin was looking for you, he said he'd discovered something you needed to know. He should be in the mess hall right now. He's a real inspiration to the men, he eats what they heat, lives how they live."

It seemed Martin was growing into a fine leader. I knew in my heart he would make his father proud. I couldn't help but remember him now. A kindly old man, with the weariness of a dying man surrounding him like a shroud, but also blazing with an implacable energy to the very instant he died.

We found Martin playing a game of cards in the mess hall with Baurus and Captain Steffan. I joined in, but Martin, aside from being a powerful battlemage and priest of Akatosh, was also killer at poker. After losing a hundred septims to him, I asked him what he needed me for.

"You, the Werewolf Nerevarine, and Count Hassildor will need to go and find the items needed to open the gate to Camoran's Paradise."

"I'm not sure if I hate it or love it when you do that." I replied.

"I enjoy it, myself. It's been a bit fun, it helps me divert my attention from memories of Kvatch to be a little mischievous."

"Well," I began, "What is Camoran's paradise anyway?"

There was a lot of information Martin gave us, so I'll sum up: People who died in Camoran's Service were sent to a Daedric Realm created by himself and Mehrunes Dagon. It was called "Paradise" and the key to it was the Mysterium Xarxes. The book embodied the realm in our world. There were four keys needed to unlock it, and a powerful mage, that would be Martin, would bind himself to the book and the objects and open a portal. It sounded dangerous, but we had no choice.

"And what would the first of these keys be?" Jongard asked apprehensively.

"The blood of a Daedra Prince." Martin nonchalantly replied.

"Tall order there." I said. "How do you say we do that? Go up to a Daedric Prince and ask if we can cut him up a bit? Why not find Dagon and ask him, kill two birds with one stone?"

"No, I've solved the riddle." Martin said. "A Daedric artifact is made with the essence of the Prince itself."

"So if we get an artifact we can get the blood?" Janus asked.

"Yes, that's the key." Martin said.

"And I know just where to go!" I said.

We rode on black horses far southwest. In a mere three days we reached about the halfway point to the Equator of Nirn. On this line lay the shrine of Sanguine. We found it without mishap. I'd brought a brandy from the temple, and donated it at the Shrine.

The statue moved and spoke to me.

"Ah, mortals. So boring. Wait a minute, you're not a mortal, are you? The Interloper! I've been told about you a bit! Well, I'm guessing you want the Rose, eh? Here's what you do. I'm engraining a spell into your mind right now. Go to the Countess of Leyawiin's dinner party in a week. The Countess is a particularly somber soul, and I need you to let her guests enjoy themselves. Don't get seen, or they might kill you."

With that, my brain burned for a mere instant, and I felt the presence of foreign knowledge. I knew that I had to do this alone.

"Alright guys, I guess I need some dinner attire." I said.

'What did he mean, 'Interloper?'" Janus asked me.

"Hell if I know. I'll ask him when we come back for the Rose."

I was going to enjoy myself. I didn't much like the Countess of Leyawiin, Alessia Caro. She'd tried to grab all the land tended by Swims back the year before he died, claiming that it was Imperial Land and that Leyawiin County had the rights to seize it. Swims and I argued in the Imperial Courts that it was technically my father's land, and his land was technically in Black Marsh, so Leyawiin County had no rights to it. We managed to win out, and she was fuming. Swim's plot was all sludge and rock, we'd only later discovered she had a beef against Argonians and just wanted to get all their lands under Imperial control. Under her control, ideally.

I was really going to enjoy this.


	34. Divine Prankster

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

The Story of Octavian

Divine Prankster

I arrived at Alessia Caro's dinner party an hour after sunset, decked out in a black overcoat with gold-rimmed shoes, black finery under the coat and a ceremonial ebony longsword for show. The guard let me in, seeing how finely dressed I was and how many Septims I gave him to line his pockets with.

Caro shot me the evil eye from across the room as I started to mingle with the guests. She went beet red and started fuming. After about five minutes of circulating in the stuffy hall, I finally reached her end of the table.

"Hello, ma'am. Do you remember me?" I asked, politely.

"Yes I do, you were the noble's son whose silver tongue lost me my land." She said.

"Yes, that's me, and I'm proud of it. How's the hubby? Or shall we skip the formalities? How's your puppet?"

She seethed. I was really getting under her skin. "Let's not even bother." she said through clenched teeth. "I hear you wised up and killed the slimy lizard."

Now she got under my skin. "I was framed, if you must know, and it was an Imperial who killed him. So he'll be challenged to an honorable duel or die like a dog."

"All over a talking snake? What's the point, the creature was less than human." She said, then her eyes began to water as I cast a minor, preemptive Reign of Terror on her mind. She got up, and I resisted the temptation to gut her where she stood. I said, "Wait, don't you want the present I brought you?" She stopped and turned, trembling. All eyes were on us. I used the opportunity to humiliate. "It's from a friend of mine. He wants to have a threesome with you and your hubby." At this point an image wafted into my mind. I could tell who sent it and what he wanted. I agreed with my Quest-Giver and said it. "He told me you may be open to a necrophiliac orgy with him and the Argonians you've been eating in the hidden Torture Chamber."

Everyone sat with mouths agape, even her husband, who was a stupid, innocent pawn in her game. He clenched her fits and made as if to stuck me, but I said "Orbi Sanguinus" and snapped my fingers, and everyone laughed. She was completely nude and, I must add out of pride, there wasn't much to see. But then came even more fun. Not only was she naked, but so was everyone else. I was bowled over laughing but realized, when I clutched my sides, that I was also without any clothing whatsoever.

The Countess screamed, cried, and ran from the room. Two guards entered, saw me laughing, and reached for the swords on their belts.

Only there was no sword, because there was no belt holding up, you guessed it, no pants.

Everyone began laughing heartily, and drinks went all around. I managed to sneak out during the revelry and found a "donor" for some clothes. I found my horse in the city stables and bolted away.


	35. Wanna Know? Too Bad!

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

The Story of Octavian

Wanna Know? Too Bad!

I galloped to the shrine of Sanguine and was greeted by my companions with shocked stares. They hadn't expected this manner of return. I got off the horse and approached the shrine.

"So you did good! I can see you took part in the festivities, your stuff is in that chest over behind my statue. The Rose is in there too." Sanguine said.

"hey, before I go, what did you mean by 'Interloper?'" I asked.

"It's not my place to tell, and I think it'd be more fun to watch you figure it out." He said, and his Statue stopped speaking.

We journeyed back to the Temple. Martin was poring over books in the Atrium. I sat across from him, and my friends also sat down.

"Did you find an artifact?" he said, looking expectantly up.

"Yes, we have this." I said, and pulled the Sanguine Rose out of the long bag that held it. Martin paled for a moment, and his mouth opened as though to say something, but his tongue flapped uselessly until he could croak out "The Sanguine Rose. I was once the Rose Bearer. I must hope I can give it up again."

"You didn't know what it did, did you?" Jongard said. "It doesn't summon Daedra, it rips one from Oblivion completely unbound."

"Yes. But let us not speak of this. I've translated the next section of the Mysterium Xarxes."

"What do we need?" Hassildor asked.

"We need the Blood of a Divine."

"Isn't that impossible? Aedra don't manifest themselves on Nirn." I said.

"It's a clever riddle. Tiber Septim became the divine Talos. His armor, still crusted with his blood, lies at Sancre Tor. Jauffre can give you directions, and an idea of what to watch out for.

So I went to find Jauffre while Jongard went to get a flagon and Count Hassildor started to tutor Martin in politics.

"I need some information about Sancre Tor." I asked.

"It was once a site holy to the Blades. It became corrupted, however, and now none who venture in return. It is an evil place, and you must be prepared. It is in the mountains west of here."

So, after waiting out the day the three of us set out to find the next item on our checklist.


	36. Corrupted Sanctity

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

The Story of Octavian

Corrupted Sanctity

It was a long, arduous struggle getting to the fortress. Mostly uphill on ice-encrusted slopes, were it not for Jongard having some old ice hooks we would never have made it before dawn. All around the place was a thick, bluish-gray mist. It didn't feel natural. Jongard cried out and there was a hiss, we ran over and he was standing over a shattered skeleton.

"The thing just attacked me. I think I'm starting to get an idea of what's corrupted this place."

We silently entered the silent, moldy-smelling tomb. The door slammed shut behind us and all light was extinguished.

"Cast Night-Eye. I don't want to risk using a torch and drawing attention." I said to Jongard, since Janus and I could already see.

We snuck along, Jongard moving remarkably quiet for someone in a full suit of Ebony. We rounded one corner and encountered a horrible sight.

It was in a suit of Blades armor and held an ancient katana, but it's skin was peeled off, revealing decomposing muscle. Strings of flesh hung down from it's arms where rats had begun to eat it. It took one look at us and howled. It struck out at me but I drew my sword and blocked, then Jongard slashed it from behind as Janus stabbed it; but the thing was already dead, so it merely threw us off and attacked Jongard. I jumped on it and grabbed it's neck, then tore its head up and off. It wheeled around and cut me across the face, but then Jongard stabbed it through its ancient heart and it finally fell.

It glowed with the same unnatural mist from outside and then a ghost, fully formed and human, came out.

"Where am I? I was sent my lord Tiber Septim to purify Sancre Tor, but the traitor, Zurin Arctus, was waiting for us. He slaughtered us with his black magic and bound us to his will. But thanks to you, I can finish my journey. Three of my comrades are also cursed. Free them and the shrine can be purified."

With that the ghost walked towards the center of the ruin, paying us no further heed. In one room there were four doors. One led to the Shrine, and the other three we didn't know.

"Knowing our luck, there's probably one in each area. I say we split up. As soon as we kill one we meet back here." I said.

"Fine by me." Jongard said, and took one passage, Janus took another, and I wound up going down into the catacombs.

It was pitch black, except in one room, which swirled with blue mist. I could hear the shuffling, skeletal feet behind me, so I whipped around and struck at air. There was a cackle next to me, so I thrust that way, but I missed again. I couldn't see a thing, so I tried a detect life spell. It was a weak sign, a flicker, but I could see the movement now. It was moving towards me, and at the last second before it struck, I ducked aside and spun, severing it's head, then drew my other weapon and stabbed it through the heart. It gave a sigh and a ghost appeared.

"Out of my way, I need to get to the shrine. It needs to be purified, by order of the Emperor."

I followed it back to the center, and the others were already there. Into the shrine we went, the Tomb of the Reman Emperors was lit by blue torches and the mist ahead. The four ghosts knelt and the mist exploded outwards. The torches flames flared red and the ghosts were gone. We walked ahead and saw the armor, crusted with blood and practically rusted onto the pedestal. I grabbed it and lifted it off as reverently and gently as I could. By this time my internal clock told me the sun would be setting, so we set out and ran as fast as we could back to the Temple with our sacred burden.


	37. First Awakening

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

The Story of Octavian

First Awakening

We arrived back and dropped off our burden. I stopped by to see Martin and ask what the next objective was, but I was so put off by his appearance that I had to get him away from that book.

"Martin, you should take a break." I said, sitting down

"No, I can't. we need to get the Amulet back as quickly as possible." He replied.

"Normally I'd agree, but you're, well, Martin you're grey."

"What?" he asked, startled, and took a look at his reflection in a cup of water. "By the Nine!" he exclaimed, dropping the cup to the ground where it shattered. "What's happened to me?" His skin was as grey as a storm-cloud, his flesh was beginning to crack and his eyes were dull and lifeless.

"Artifacts of Daedric Knowledge demand a toll. Books written by Daedra Lords are far worse," Jongard interjected, "The human body can only take so much buffeting by Oblivionic or Aetherial forces before it begins to wither. Given time, it will recover, but if the damage is too great it may take years."

"Very well." Martin said, closing the book with enormous mental effort and rising. "I honestly haven't eaten in days. I think I'll go to the mess hall."

He slowly hobbled over and got himself some food. He was noticeably improved when he returned, the spring had returned to his step, his eyes had regained their color and his skin was already losing its pallor. The Dragon Blood was truly resilient. "Now, I did manage to translate the next section of the Xarxes before you returned. We need a great Welkynd Stone."

"Why can't we just use a bunch of normal Welkynd Stones?" I asked.

"Because all the Welkynd Stones in Cyrodiil couldn't rival the power of a single Great Welkynd Stone," Jongard again interrupted. "The cities now look like tombs, but once the Ayleids were a powerful force, strong with Magicka and technology. The Great Welkynd Stones were priceless gems that powered and lit the entire city."

"He's right." Janus said. "There's only one we could find, if I'm right."

"Miscarcand." Martin said. "The last stronghold to fall to Alyssia's slave revolt in the First Era. They say that it is still haunted by the spirit of its king."

"So we go in, kill an overblown ghost and take a big jewel?" I asked. "Sounds simple enough." We were about to set out when Jauffre stopped me.

"Octavian, wait. Jongard said something about vampires to me earlier, he told me that he heard rumors of a strange coven gathering near Skingrad. Perhaps after Miscarcand has been sufficiently looted you could examine it? If they are hostile, you can handle yourself, if not, your vampirism protects you from the danger inherent in a mortal's journey to such a place." I nodded and we left.

Miscarcand is fairly near Skingrad, so before we could search for the Order's lair we were off again, traveling by night until we found the ruin. I was first to open the door, and when I did, Janus and I were thrown back with the force of a hundred blows.

"The Stone." Jongard said. "Welkynd Stones are of Aetherial Magnus, Vampires can't touch them. A Great Welkynd Stone is so powerful that if exposed it can cause harm by virtue of it's being in the same city. I'll fetch this, you two go to see the vampires."

Jongard entered and shut the stone door behind himself. Janus and I caught our breath and went off to the cave where this coven was apparently meeting.

Before we entered I could already tell that something was wrong. A strange stench, familiar yet not, hung in the air. We stepped into the cave and followed it to a colossal central cavern. Vampire corpses, already decomposing to ash, littered the ground. Before us stood six people. Five of them in black robes and hoods, bearing a standard with a Black Hand on a flagpole. The sixth I knew all too well.

_"So,"_ M'Razzar said in a strange, booming voice that was not natural by any account as he looked around, _"you have shown me that you can, in fact, slay my kind. Your assassins are skilled. Not least of them you, Speaker Lachance. I hear that already that fly and you have a history."_

One of the robed figures, Lucien Lachance, who I had hunted for so long, stepped forward. "Yes. Our patroness asked us for a certain stone. He now has it, and without him it would cease to be. You assure us that you know the means of creating one?"

_"Yes, it is truly a simple matter. I have already imparted it to your Listener. In exchange, I want the blood of Octavian Bacchus. Kill him, and bring me some of his ashes in this vial."_ He said, and handed it off to the man I hated so much.

"I will kill him myself." Lucien said.

"Then you'd best see to it now." I said, stepping out from the shadows.

"You!" Lucien said, paling. Open combat was not his specialty by any means.

"Yes, me," I said, drawing my swords. "Are you ready to die?"

He wasn't and M'Razzar knew it. Before he could leap to his new ally's aid, Janus also emerged. "M'Razzar, I think we have a score to settle." He said, drawing his decorated blade.

"What the hell are you doing?" I whispered.

"Avenging myself and my wife." He said.

"You'll die. You haven't taught me everything yet."

"I've taught you enough. Seek out Malendil, she can help." He then cast a fire spell that caused the tunnel to collapse around us, cutting myself and the Black Hand off from him and M'Razzar, but cutting himself off from any hope of escape. I felt something strange happen to my body. It felt like I was being torn to pieces from within, and each shard was expelling outwards. My hand burned as though the sun was shining on it, and then I burst with power, launching myself first at the assassins, who fled, then back at the wall. I tore at it with my inhuman strength, breaking rocks with my hands and blades. I finally made some headway into the artificial wall, when it burst outwards and M'Razzar strode out, laughing.

"_Murderer!"_ I yelled with a voice that resembled his own. His laugh could have chilled fire into ice, but I could sense a touch of fear. I could tell what I had become.

_"I really did give too much of myself to you, fool. Never mind the Brotherhood, I'll kill you myself and take back what's mine!"_

He, too, burst with a pair of wings and launched himself out of the cave. I followed him up into the chill night sky He lunged at me with his claws, but I dodged and he took nothing but a pawful of pure white feathers. I flew straight at him and bit into the blackened leather of his left wing and took yet more of his blood. He screamed and fell, catching himself midair and bucking me off. The black smoke surrounding him launched at me, following me as though it had a will of its own. I spun the Aetherial Blade before myself and deflected the bolts. I then countered by focusing my own power and launching a pure, celestial beam at him.

_"Such power is wasted on one such as you!" _He yelled and dodged, but the splash of the shockwave knocked him down, but again he managed to stay aloft. He flew straight at me, I barely had time to raise my swords before he was at me, slashing with his claws and beating at me with his wings. I spun, the elbow of my left wing connecting with his jaw, and my left-hand blade cutting into his chest. I rocketed straight up and he followed, until we were so high that it seemed we could see all of Cyrodiil. At the last second I stopped and kicked downwards, breaking M'Razzar's nose and yet again knocking him down. This time I dove right at him, slashing with the Void Blade and ripping the tendon in one of his wings beyond use. He plummeted to the ground, and I dove straight down, slamming right onto him, pincering him between the force of my attack and a boulder.

I stood up, panting. His wings began to fade. He began laughing again as the sun rose. I started up at the first beam that I saw, but realized that I was now immune. I looked back and M'Razzar was gone. Disappeared like mist. My wings turned into pure white smoke and dissipated themselves, along with my unnatural silver glow, as Jongard arrived with a leather sack under his arm. "So it won't hurt you and Janus." He said. "What was that glow? Where is Janus anyway? And how are you out here in the sunlight?"

I collapsed. In my normal voice I croaked, "What am I, Jongard? What kind of hero am I if I can let someone like him die?"


	38. A God's Lament

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

The Story of Octavian

A God's Lament

I dug through the shattered cavern for any sign of Janus' remains. There was nothing but a charred silhouette on the wall where he had been vaporized. I felt a pulse in me, briefly, like a second heartbeat, but it passed.

"First things first," Jongard said, "I'll take the Stone back. I've never seen anything like what you are. Maybe Martin might be able to figure it out?"

It made sense, but I couldn't bring myself to speak. I was too furious, and I knew the next thing I said would be vicious, and that Jongard didn't deserve it. In my head, I blamed everything. M'Razzar, the Dark Brotherhood for helping him, Jongard for not being there to help, Janus for showing himself, and myself for not being strong enough, Jauffre for sending us there.

But in my heart I knew only M'Razzar and myself deserved it. Myself for finding the Stone, and M'Razzar for wanting it.

As we walked back, stopping for nothing, I began to think.

"Why does the Dark Brotherhood want the Stone? What is it really? What the hell am I?"

We finally arrived back at the Temple. It was noon when I walked in through the gates, so everyone training in the courtyard saw me walk through. As I passed everyone stopped and stared. People began muttering, then, just before it became a dull roar, I closed the Temple's door behind me.

I looked at my reflection in one of the swords that adorned the hall. I looked almost unrecognizable. My eyes were silver, my hair had changed from auburn to a dark blondish color. My skin was a pale gold.

Martin entered the hall after a moment.

"What do you have to say about this?" Jongard asked.

"This isn't natural. He's undergone a minor apotheosis."

"'Minor' apotheosis? What the hell does that mean?" I asked.

"It means your transformation isn't complete. After a while you may become a full-blown god, but as for right now it's a no-go. You might still be able to die, but all the characteristic vampire weaknesses are gone. It might take a lot, but you're still not invulnerable."

"What about the blood?"

"You still have to feed, but not as much, and the effects of skipping a meal won't be as drastic."

"And what about the stone?"

"The one on your hand? It's also unnatural. It's a Soulgem that's programmed to take on a soul too big for it, then when it's connected to a human body, it systematically leaks and recharges. It's recharge process has been super-accelerated by your vampirism."

"I want to hold an honorary funeral for Janus."

"What?"

"He's not here. Notice that? He's dead."

"By the Nine. I'm sorry."

"Don't feel sorry for me. Feel sorry for the bastard I'm gonna kill."

"What do you mean?"

"Hearing okay? I'm gonna slice that son of a bitch to pieces and feed his cock to the dogs."

"Is this how a god laments?" he asked, hesitantly.

"Yes." I replied as I began to pulse softly again.


	39. First Things First

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

The Story of Octavian

First Things First

Two weeks past, during which the funeral service for Janus was held. While there were no remains to be found, his grave is marked on the grounds of Cloud Ruler Temple.

"Alright," Jauffre said, "We may need to divide our efforts. Firstly, Martin needs a break from his translating, at least for now." Martin had been getting better by the day, but he had to build up his strength for the longest and hardest section of the book.

"An Oblivion gate has opened near Bruma. Octavian, as you are the only one among us to successfully close a gate, we must ask you to show the Bruma City Guard how it's done."

"No problem. I just wish I didn't have to baby-sit a bunch of kids while I was doing it." I said, uncrossing my arms and getting up. My voice had also begun to change, becoming kind of deeper and much clearer. It sounded what I'd imagine Jongard sounded like before inhaling all that ash on Vvardenfell.

"Jongard, it seems the threat of M'Razzar is getting to be just as serious as the Oblivion crisis. I want you to investigate how different vampire groups feel about him, then afterwards, report to Octavian so he may act on the information. Now, I must be perfectly clear to both of you:" He said, and we gave our attention.

"The war with M'Razzar is to be a shadow war. _No one_ may know about it, and only Octavian is to make an offensive strike."

As we left, I asked Jongard for a favor. "I may have a better idea what this is, and I know the dark Brotherhood wants it, and a feeling in my gut says M'Razzar does to. While you're out, try to get information on why we're different and why he wants the gem."

After a few minutes, I reached the gate of Bruma. After waiting for them to finally unlock the gate, I met up with Burd in the town square.

"Good to see you, Oc." He said. "You look… different."

"Don't get me started. where's the gate?" I asked.

"My men are holding the Daedra off outside the city's main gate. Come with me."

We went out of the city, under the crimson cloud that floated over every Oblivion Gate. Burd called his men to attention while two archers stood at the ready.

"Alright, you slugs! We have the Hero of Kvatch here, and instead of just sitting out here freezing our asses off and waiting to take one too many casualties, we're gonna follow him into the Gate and he's gonna show us what to do to close it for good. So, Marcus, Jols, you two keep holding out here, shoot anything that comes through before it shuts. The rest of you, come with us. We're following this guy's orders, so do what he says or you may well get eaten."

"Alright!" I said. "Advance!"

My strategic skills coming back to me from the War of Bend'r Mak, we made our way into the Gate.

The pocket realms of Oblivion that could be used as bridges between our world and theirs are generally very similar to one another unless a daedric prince pours some of himself into it, specifically designs it.

Dagon had designed this one.

Although it's general makeup was the same as the Kvatch Gate, this one had a very different layout. First, I led our small phalanx over a bridge. It seemed like we'd make it across okay until I heard a "twang" from a bowstring.

"Shields up!" I ordered. Most of us formed a tortoise for protection, but two of the less experienced men didn't have the reflexes and were killed by a hail of Dremora arrows. We slowly advanced under our protective shell.

"Break!" I yelled and we broke formation, killing the archers as quickly as we could. The body count was now at three.

We marched the phalanx around the tower, looking for a door and encountering a scattered Dremora here or there. We finally found the entrance to the tower on the far side without losing anyone else.

The real battle started in the tower. As soon as we entered I yelled "Break and surround!" We surrounded the Daedroth who was waiting at the entrance, but he wasn't alone. Two full-grown Clannfear and a Spider Daedra burst from the shadows. I felt that strange pulse again, and the Clannfear vaporized. The Spider Daedra hissed as its reptilian brethren were killed, and then screamed as the Daedroth fell down on top of it, crushing it's surprisingly fragile exoskeleton and they breathed their last together.

"Back into formation!" I yelled as we entered a hallway. I cursed as I saw the phalanx of Dremora at the top of the slope. An uphill battle against superior warriors. We needed tactics.

I decided a strategic use of spells would be vital. I felt the pulse and called a shield up, adding to that some reflection magic. We marched up and the two units collided. The Dremora had also set up spells, but much more conventional than mine. I managed to also pull up a reflect magic spell before the flare turrets activated. The Dremora were shocked when wounds appeared on their bodies when they attacked us. Their commander countered with a minor dispel that brought down my reflect damage spell. The turrets continued to destroy themselves as the battle began in earnest. We managed to push the Dremora back, but then a horde of spiderlings arrived, headed by three Spider Daedra Breeders. I felt the pulse and the front line burst into flame, but there were more than I could deal with at the time. I still tried to push forward, but the battle came to a standstill. I felt the pulse, harder, and my hand began to itch and burn. I made a backhanded slap motion, and the entire army was flung backwards. The spiders shattered on the wall. The Dremora frenzied themselves, but with their support gone, we managed to push them back again. We got them to the central spiral, and began to push higher. We finally managed to wipe them out, then we marched up towards the Sigil Chamber.

We finally reached it. Burd tried to get it open.

"Locked." He said.

I felt the pulse and held my hand forward. The door burst like nothing.

I head and felt a massive horde of Daedra inside. No surprise that the Sigil Chamber would have the heaviest guard. We walked in and the room was filled with what looked like swirling stones. They came together and formed solid bodies.

"Storm Atronachs? Surely Mercenaries aren't the best Dagon can do?" I asked.

Six Dremora Kynreeves dropped from the higher level.

"That's what I'm," I started. I felt the pulse and flew forward, slashing one in half, "TALKIN' ABOUT!"

The next battle was disorganized, and a bloodbath. I kicked backwards, knocking the support stone from one of the Atronachs. Then spun, taking a Dremora's head. I back-flipped over the mess of stones that was another Atronach, then stopped midair.

"Boo." I said, then froze it solid. I landed, and thrust a sword into the crotch of another Dremora. I felt the pulse, and floated a foot above the ground. The Daedra left their targets in a futile attempt to stop me. I curled myself into a ball, then burst outward, the magickal shockwaves killing them all.

"Okay, so that up there is a Sigil Stone. By removing it, the Gate can't support itself and collapses, transporting any non-Daedra out instantly. Like so." I grabbed the stone in my left hand and the pulse flashed through me. The place flashed white and we were transported back to the walls of Bruma.


	40. Godhood 101

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

The Story of Octavian

Godhood 101

I felt so strange as I walked back to the Temple. Then the pulse came up, and I found myself at the Temple Gates.

"What's happening to me?" I thought.

I met up with Jongard, Martin and Jauffre inside. I asked Jongard and Martin immediately what the hell was going on.

"Tell us what's going on as far as you see it." Jongard calmly said, taking his usual, methodical approach.

"Sometimes I feel this weird pulse, it's like another heartbeat, as clear as a war drum, almost every time I do, a spell is cast. It's usually at a good time, but just now I teleported here without meaning to. I also can't control it exactly."

"What do you mean by 'exactly?'" Jongard asked.

"Well, I never actively cast it, it just seems to be something I need at a specific time. I randomly cast a reflect and barrier spell back in the Gate. These spells just happen."

"But with the exception of the teleportation it…" Jongard stopped and tried to speak, but he couldn't make a sound. I had felt the pulse and accidentally cast a mass Silence spell. It wore off after a moment.

"With two exceptions, it's been helpful?" Jongard asked.

"Yes, as soon as I left Oblivion it started going nuts-" I stopped and coughed as a massive pulse ripped through me, breaking a table and shaking the very foundation of the Temple.

"I think I might have an idea what's going on." Jongard said, then ducked as all the books in the room except for the Xarxes began flying in a whirlwind as another pulse beat. It began to go faster, more regular, exactly like a heartbeat. Each time another spell was cast.

"Think of your house in Chorrol!" Jongard said, grabbing my arm. I did, and at the next pulse beat I was there, standing in my foyer.

"I still need to fix that wall." I said, seeing the wall Jongard and I had destroyed at our first meeting, then another pulse beat happened and it was fixed. "Well, at least that was convenient."

Jongard went to the desk as I kept thinking of positive things to do with my pulse, and each time it beat it was done. Jongard came back to me with the strange Dwemer glove he'd told me not to touch, then slapped it on my right arm and grabbed me by the face.

The next moment I was transported to a strange place. The walls were both rock and flesh, in the center was a colossal heart, and it was surrounded by eight bones.

_"I am the Heart of the World, the beat of the Doom Drum."_ The Heart said. _"It is me you feel coursing through you."_

_"I am the Structure of Time."_ The largest bone said. It was surrounding and intertwined with the Heart. _"It is my blessing you have been given, Time will not ravage you."_

_"I am the Strength of the Wind."_ The green-tinted bone said. It stood upright, next to the Heart. _"It is my strength that aids you in battle."_

_"I am the Endurance of Life and Death."_ A large, straight bone connected to the floor said. _"You are the in-between, and Death cannot harm you."_

_"I am the Balance of Mind."_ A large bone balanced perfectly atop a line of sinews. _"Your strategy is my blessing."_

_"I am the Power of Mercy."_ Said one that lay across the floor. _"Your kindness, and humanity, remain by my will."_

_"I am the Unity of Family."_ The small, yet powerful-looking bone said. _"Through me, you save your people."_

_"I am the Steadfastness of Love." _A long, thick bone with many nicks and fractures said. _"Through me you care for life and those who have it."_

_I am the Fruit of Drive."_ A short, squat bone said. _"It is my power that drives you."_

_"You hold within yourself all of us."_ They said together. _"It was written in the Elder Scrolls that you would become a new god."_

Then everything changed in an instant. The room became a circular chamber of polished white. The heart and the bone intertwined with it became an enormous golden and red humanoid Dragon with a scar across it's chest. The others all changed to varying forms ranging from a scholar to a monk to a blindingly beautiful woman. I stood in the center of the chamber The Dragon perched itself upon it's throne, and all the other gods sat down in their own thrones.

_"We are the Eight Divines, the Earthbones."_ The One said to me. His scar flashing white where Akatosh had ripped out his heart, before he and Lorkhan joined together to become what sat before me.

_"All mortal men take waste left over from out dear brother Magnus, and use that to create what you call 'Magic.'"_ He said._ "You are no longer bound by that."_

_"How did this happen?"_ I asked.

_"The blood of Vivec flows through your veins. He was neither Daedra nor Aedra, nor was he an et'Ada, as we all once were. You were marked by all of our qualities. Mercy, Intelligence, Strength, Love, Family, Drive, Power over Life and Death, and finally, immortality. When these came together with the blood of the incomplete god, Vivec, you became what you are now. It merely took time to awaken within you._

_"But didn't Vivec have those qualities?"_ I asked.

_"Not all of them. Vivec lacked true family, and his power over Life and Death was cheapened, coming from one of my former selves and not my Son, Arkay."_ The One said.

_"So what am I?"_ I asked.

_"You are the closest being in the universe to a full et'Ada. Yours is the power of the Daedra Prince Mephala and of Myself. You are not bound by alignment to the blood of Anu or Padomay. So, instead of using the magic left by Magnus, your power comes from three sources. Mephala's Daedric power, the power contained within me, and the power that has slept within you since birth. Since you were exposed to all three on Nirn, and only two in Oblivion, you couldn't control it as easily."_

_"Thank you for explaining, but I can see that there is something you are leaving out."_ I said, and raised my right hand.

The One sighed. _"I know of that device. It is what began to unlock your power, just as it unlocked Kagrenac's. _

_"Kagrenac?" _I asked.

_"The final reason that Dagoth Ur and the Tribunal did not succeed in becoming true gods, as you have, is because they lacked the fourth tool that Kagrenac used, that he kept secret from all. He never wrote it down nor spoke a word of it, save once. He placed the same device, though empty, upon his hand, as you have, and the Dwemer people were absorbed into it when he used the tools. In the following confusion, it was lost, perhaps knocked into the lava, but in any case, since your Soulgem was already full, it was able to unlock your power instead of use you as it's key. Without that additional scion for the power of my Heart, they became demigods, but could not fully transcend their mortal beings. After my Heart as it existed in Red Tower was destroyed, my full strength was restored among the Earthbones, and only by our intervention did the power to do what must be done pass into the right hands."_ The One explained.

_"Where does M'Razzar factor into this?"_ I asked.

_"He, too, has all of the qualities, though many have been corrupted. He once loved a woman very deeply, but she scorned him when discovering his vampirism. He also had a very large family, all of whom he loved dearly. When he went mad from the loss of those things, taking in the blessing of the Daedra Prince Sheogorath, he fed on Vivec, taking the power of Mephala and myself. This caused him to become very nearly what you are. He is not as powerful as what you can be, and is also slightly imbalanced towards the Daedra, but his power is growing faster than yours. If he were to obtain a gem like your own, he, too, would become a god."_ The One sat for a moment, considering.

_"When Molag Bal created vampires, we saw that they would be the ones to become what you are, a new breed of gods. So, we cursed them with the inability to use the spell that would create the Soulgem you needed. As such, he needs a puppet to make a replica for himself."_

_"The Dark Brotherhood."_ I said.

_"Yes. He will kill them, take their souls, and use them to feed the gem's power when they have made it for him."_

_"I have one last question."_ I said.

_"Ask, if you feel you must. I will answer anything I can, and if I cannot, perhaps one of my compatriots can help."_ The One replied.

_"When I was in my other form, and M'Razzar was in his, we looked different. If our powers stem from the same source, why is that?"_ I asked.

_"Mephala is a two-faced Daedra Prince."_ The One said. _"M'Razzar got the qualities that suited his personality, and you got the ones that augmented yours. Also, Vivec was a two-faced god, so he took Vivec's evil and you took his good. Finally,"_ He said, changing form ever so slightly, revealing a human face, much like a chiseled Nord, _"I also am a two-faced god. Both of my former selves, Akatosh and Lorkhan, exist within me as One being. I am not a force of omnipotent good, as some Imperial theologists believe. M'Razzar manifests my less pleasing qualities while you manifest my more virtuous ones."_

_"Thank you for everything."_ I said. _"I have to return to Nirn now."_

_"You may return when your task is complete, and take your place among the gods."_ The One said. Then the white throne room dissipated and I was back at my house in Chorrol.

"Octavian, what the hell just happened.?" Jongard asked.

"It's a long story." I said, then told him.

"So that explains pretty much everything. After I slapped Wraithguard on you, a secret compartment opened up that I hadn't seen, exposing the spot on your hand with that gem. I never knew that there was a fourth tool." Jongard said.

I felt the pulse, it was as regular as a heartbeat, but it didn't cast a spell. Instead it seemed to focus itself into my gem through Wraithguard, building up a reserve of strength.

"Well, now I know what I need to do. Let's go back to Jauffre while you tell me what you learned about the vampires." I said.


	41. Vampire's Plight

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

The Story of Octavian

Vampire's Plight

We started on the road back to the temple. Jongard began telling me the information he had gathered.

"The vampires of Cyrodiil are divided into two main factions. One supports M'Razzar, claiming that after eons of humiliation their time has come to rule under a new god of vampires. This faction is widely embraced by the wilder vampires." Jongard said.

"Figured they'd be in on it. Janus was always wary of them." I replied.

"The other faction is composed primarily of vampires who have blended into society, claiming that since they have eternal lives they should use them to gradually enlighten the views of the people until they can walk as themselves again. They are led by a mortal woman named Malendil"

"Malendil?" I interjected. "Janus mentioned her. His last words were that she could help me."

"Hmm… She seems to know much about vampire kind, even to the point of vampiric psychology and myths. They claim that her chief adviser is the oldest living vampire."

"I'll really need to see her now." I said.

"Well, there's still more information you'll need. M'Razzar has used mortal agents to infiltrate the Order of the Fang. They will soon send their top men after you, they believe you to be what he is."

"That seems just like him. Attack from the shadows, or behind a really big rock." I started laughing.

"What's so funny?" Jongard asked.

I just remembered a joke the other prisoners came up with. 'Oc, the only thing that ever stopped you was a rock.' One of my escape attempts from the Imperial Prison was thwarted because there was a big rock in the way." I said. Jongard remained oblivious to why it was funny. Honestly, I didn't know myself. Maybe I just needed to laugh at something, anything, to alleviate the tension building within me. I had so much to fight against.

"Well, first things first. Let's test out your magic. Take us to the temple." He said. I marveled at how I hadn't thought to do that already, and whisked us away.

The powerful enchantments around the temple's walls prevented teleportation inside, so we appeared at the gates. We were rushed inside and were seated with Jauffre and Martin.

"An attempt was made on the Emperor's life." Jauffre said.

"Who? When?" I asked. "Tell me. I'm in the mood to play a game of cat-and-mouse."

"This man was the culprit." Jauffre said, having a cage dragged in. Inside was a man with a glassy look in his eyes. He had been brainwashed. I recognized the fang necklace.

"Tell me exactly what happened." I said.

Martin started. "I was in my room, brushing up on my illusion skill by turning myself invisible and creating my image on the bed. The man came in and stabbed the phantom, which dissipated. The Blades then burst in and apprehended him."

"We got no information, save one scrap. When we began to interrogate him, he said M'Razzar's name."

"He's in the Order, then." Jongard said. "Jauffre, contact Ocato and tell him to declare the organization illegal and traitorous."

"Wait." said. "That's a good idea, it counters M'Razzar's plan, but let me do this first."

I got up and walked over to the cage. "Who sent you?" I asked, calmly, even congenially.

He said nothing. I touched his mind. There was a shell over it. I searched over the pearl-smooth surface of his thoughts. I found the critical point, the one thing that was not protected.

"Elena."

He nearly jumped. "Where is she? Where am I? Who are you?"

"She's safe, you're in a cage, and I'm asking the questions." I said. "Don't worry. If you cooperate, you'll be set free."

"Very well. What do you need?"

"Who sent you?"

"The Hierarchs of the Order of the Fang."

"Who were you sent to kill?" I asked.

"I was told there would be a regal vampire named Octavian, that I should look for the most grand quarters in the Temple and kill all who were inside."

"Where is your base? Give me exact directions."

"It is directly east of here. We have laid many false trails in the past, but follow none. Go straight east."

"Do you know of M'Razzar?"

"No. Well, I think I heard a hierarch mention him, but nothing specific."

"Well, do you want to ask your questions now?" I asked.

"Is that okay?" he asked, a little confused.

"So much shit is going on right now that anything short of a knife at my throat is okay." I said.

"Well, who are you? Where is Octavian?"

"I'm Octavian. The man you nearly killed is Martin."

"What? They told me… the most regal-looking, that you were the greatest of men here. What were they thinking?"

"There I can't help you. I'm not even sure myself." I lied. I was dead sure.

"Who is M'Razzar?" He asked.

"M'Razzar is everything they told you I would be."

"Where is Elena?"

"I last saw her in Skingrad. I broke the control over her mind, though I used a different method than the one I used on you."

"Well, I have no more questions."

"Then you have choices." I said. "We can let you stay here, warm, safe, and secret, until this is over. You can go back and inform the Hierarchs that they have been lied to, or you can simply choose to go and hide."

"I'll go back. They need to know the truth! In just talking to you I've learned so much! You're not monsters, and M'Razzar is not to be trusted!"

"It may cost you your life. Half of the brainwashing is to prevent such discoveries." I said.

"I don't care! The truth must out! How many innocent men have we killed, merely for them lacking the blood to sustain themselves?"

"Let him go." I told Jauffre.

He was released. I would follow him soon. But I had two dates in as many days.

"Jongard, I need you to do a mission for me." I asked. "Jauffre wanted me to do it, but I'm a bit busy."

"What?" He asked.

"Go and gather allies for Bruma. Get the other Counts to offer troops. I think Janus intended that Skingrad fall to me, so take as many as the city can spare. Try to get the other Counts to do the same."

And with that I was off to find Elena again myself. It was time for her part to play.


	42. First of Two

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

The Story of Octavian

First of Two

So, first on my list was Elena. Honestly, I didn't know at the time why I'd need her there. I just had a feeling in my gut that she had a vital part to play in my quest.

I didn't know where to look, so I decided to go to Skingrad. I wanted to walk, since I had another gut feeling that using my magic too much would make me overdependent on it, but time was of the essence.

I got to Skingrad and started walking. I knew that if there was a sign to find I'd find it. As I walked, I thought. Firstly, I had discovered that M'Razzar was proud. He couldn't bear to think that anyone but the greatest could have caused this much trouble. I also thought about the differences between our powers. He could obviously open his wings at will, where I had found that I couldn't. The only time I had unlocked the greater portion of my power was when I was in a rage. I thought to myself, "why then?" I looked through my memories and figured that Janus was like a father to me, so maybe Mara's power ignited when someone I considered "family" was harmed? Also, I was stuck on low power with Wraithguard. I couldn't use my more powerful spells at all, and even with it off I wasn't nearly god-like in power. Martin had said a "minor" apotheosis, so I figured more would come with time, but then all that did was get me worrying over how much time I had.

I finally found a sign, it was completely by virtue of my hypersensitive nose. I caught her scent (which was good) and followed it to a bar. The place had been trashed, and the barkeep was cleaning up.

"Whoo, what the hell happened here?" I asked, grabbing a fallen mead bottle.

"That damn woman, she ran afoul of some street toughs. They came in here and attacked her, but she killed them all, trashed my bar while she did it." The fat Imperial said.

"Oof. Bit of bad luck there. Any idea where she went?"

"Off to Anvil, I heard. I'd steer clear of her, she's more than she looks."

"Yeah, I know it." I said, and disappeared, taking the mead with me.

I appeared at the Anvil docks. The sun was setting, I would've stayed to watch but I was busy.

I followed the trail until I came to an alley an hour after sunset. I saw three heavily armed men come flying out of it, blood spraying from open necks. I poked my head around and saw Elena toss another body away.

"Wow. You've gotten good at that, eh?" I asked, startling her. After a second, she recognized me.

"Octavian? What are you doing here?" She asked.

"Looking for you, actually." I heard a lot of footsteps coming. "I'll explain my new look in a bit, I think we've got some problems." I said, looking over my shoulder at the small army of gangsters massing.

"I trust you can handle this many?" I asked, jokingly.

"Just about," she said, "but things are more fun in a group."

I smiled and drew my swords. Fighting was one thing I'd take the time to enjoy. I jumped up, kicked off the wall, and cut one man across the chest. He fell, and Elena jumped forward and thrust through an Orc's heart. I spun and cut down a Khajiit, and she kicked a Nord into my other sword.

We decimated them, and then one last man, an Argonian, tried to run. I then figured two things: First, if she was going to travel with me she may as well see it all. Second: I'd never tried Argonian.

I jumped forward and sped across the ground, gliding centimeters above it, I then grabbed the Argonian and extended my now-concealed fangs. They were far longer than before, and silvery instead of white. I bit down and tasted nothing. I felt the blood draining into my mouth, and swallowed, it was a bit chunky and not too pleasant, but I tasted nothing. I thought it may be the blood itself, so after I dropped the corpse, suddenly oblivious to Elena, I downed the mead I stole.

No taste.

That was a price I had to pay, and I quickly reconciled it, determining that it was necessary to kill M'Razzar and that it was a small price for such a reward. I couldn't shake the feeling that it wouldn't be the only one, but I shook myself up and turned to Elena.

"Sorry you had to see that." I said.

"It's okay." She replied. "I'm used to these things now."

"Well that's good." I said. "Let's take a walk."

We walked along the docks as we swapped stories. She told me how she'd left the Order and had been hunted by them ever since. I told her about everything that had happened to me since we last met, which you've all already heard.

"So you came looking for me?" She asked.

"Yeah, I just have this feeling I'll need you." I said.

"Nothing personal in it?" She asked, half-jokingly, giving me a look with those piercing green eyes.

"I didn't say that." I said, grinning. I held her hand.

"Well, if you want me to come with you, I'll do it." She said.

"That's good." I said. "Well, at least this time you'll really be protecting things. M'Razzar's just the kind of vampire even my own kind wouldn't mind hunting."

"M'Razzar?" She asked. "The Advisor?"

"Advisor?" I asked.

"He's been the advisor of the Order since a month before I left. He's a vampire?"

"You don't get many Khajiits in the Order, do you?"

"No, there are mostly Imperials, with a few Bretons like me."

"Oh. Well, the Hierarchs probably know it, another one of those feelings on my part."

We kept walking, making small talk, until I remembered that I had somewhere else to be very soon.

"Well, we should get going." I said. I tightened my grip on her hand. "This won't be too comfortable." I said, and teleported us back to the Temple.


	43. Searching for the Second

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

The Story of Octavian

Searching for the Second

I spent until the next sunset filling Elena in on everything we knew, how to close Oblivion Gates, ways of fighting different Daedra, and other things our dock conversation didn't include. At sunset I finally found the time to talk to Martin.

"Use that prophetic blood of yours. Why can't I taste anything?" I asked.

Martin searched for a moment. "Magic comes from Magnus, correct?"

"Yeah, anyone with any magickal knowledge knows that." I said.

"But your magic comes from Him, Oblivion and yourself." He replied.

"I'm not sure I follow." I said.

"When you used spells before, you would use some of the surrounding area's magicka, which is waste Magnus leaves over."

"So it's like his shit, kinda?" I asked.

"I wouldn't put it that way, but yes, it is Magnus' leavings from when he left. In time, it regenerates, but only a certain amount can be used by a certain person for a certain amount of time. If it runs out, then it can't be used until it regenerates."

"So it's taking from me, also?" I asked.

"Yes, it will rob you of a sense, or function, or ability. The amount and magnitude will vary based on the spells you use."

"And if I overspend?" I asked.

"If you overspend your power before your apotheosis is compete then you will die."

"I figured it'd be that. So will I regenerate my senses?"

"I'm not sure. It's been over twelve hours since you used your magic. Drink this."

He handed me some wine, and I drank it down. It was like a phantom taste. It was faint, but there.

"Yeah, I can sort of taste it again." I said.

"Good. The longer you go without spell casting the better off you'll be." Martin said.

"That's no good, I need to use it to get around fast enough." I said.

"I'm still taking a break on the Xarxes," Martin said, "so I'll see if I can't brew up some potions to help speed your regeneration. They'll taste gods-awful in all likelihood, but that won't be much of a problem for you."

"Funny." I said, sarcastically.

"One thing, what you seek lies near the White-Gold Tower." Martin said.

"Oh, thanks." I said. "Give my regards to Jonny."

I teleported. I resolved not to use my magic as soon as the whole ordeal was over. I appeared I front of the Tower. I did have one problem, though: I had no leads. I sat for a moment and thought. If she was learned about vampires, she was probably a reader. Maybe Phintias could help.

I stopped by the First Edition. Or rather, stopped by it's door and found it closed. I tried to follow his scent, but this time my sense of smell had taken a hit. I asked someone if Phintias was home, and he said that he was probably at the Feed Bag. I found him there.

"Ever seen anyone named Malendil in the shop?" I asked him.

"She's in every couple of nights with that guy she hangs around with. Creepy looking guy with Daedric Armor and weird tattoos on his face. Pale and… something implacable. I'd steer clear if I could." He said.

"Thanks man." I said. "Any idea where she lives?"

"I hear she lives in a small shack on the waterfront. Good luck with the guy, though." he said.

So I had my next goal. Malendil and her vampire friend on the Waterfront.


	44. Kooky Old Man

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

The Story of Octavian

Kooky Old Man

I reached the Waterfront quickly, and I was jarred mentally by the lack of smell. It usually smelled like a mixture of bilge, corpses, and a day at the beach.

It didn't take me long to find the two, since they were searching also.

The vampire snuck up behind me and held a knife to my back. "Well, found you at last." He knocked me out cold.

I woke up an hour later with a sore head. The blow had shaken me to the teeth.

"I told you to try and do this peacefully!" I heard a high-pitched voice scold.

"Can I help it? Sometimes these things happen. Besides, he's not dead." A deeper, but still a bit high, and very quiet voice replied.

"Ow." I said.

"Good, you're awake. I'm sorry about my colleague here. He's a bit twitchy." The Bosmer said.

The vampire smiled a crooked half-grin that made me shudder. "Yeah, it's almost a problem." He said.

"You probably know who we are, and we definitely know who you are. So, I'll leave you alone to do what has to be done." Malendil said.

The vampire leaned back, still grinning his chilling half-grin. "So, mini-god, what to do with you?"

"I don't know. I was looking for you guys to ask for help."

"Hell, you really need it don't you?"

"What do you mean?" I asked.

He suddenly was behind me with a knife to my throat. "That's what I mean. get your ass up!" He said, kicking me off the couch.

I stumbled up. The irony didn't quite hit me at the time that this senile almost-midget was beating a birthing god off a couch.

"Okay, so you're a god. Big deal. Come at me with those pretty knives." He said, drawing a katana that was visibly enchanted. I ran at him. I swung down and hit air as he kicked me from behind.

"Been a long time since you fought someone who wasn't years behind you, eh kid?"

"No, you're just a small target. I'm used to things like Daedroth and Spider Daedra." I said.

"Shut it, kid!" he said and kicked me so hard I flipped over and landed on my back.

"What's with you and kicking, old man?" I groaned.

"Okay, you shut up and listen for a sec, kid. I know that's new to you, but I've got two things you need to know."

"Go ahead." I said, subdued. About then was where the irony hit me.

"M'Razzar is always gonna be the more powerful god. There isn't a damn thing you can do. Don't even bother with that."

"So you're telling me that I can't beat M'Razzar, and should let the world be destroyed?" I asked.

"Shut up and LISTEN!" He yelled so loud my ears started bleeding. It seemed even louder because of how quietly he'd been speaking. "But look at what just happened. Tell me what you just experienced." he said, in his usual quiet voice.

"I just got trounced by a midget." I said.

"I'm not quite a midget, actually. More like Bosmer-height. But yes, now out of us two you are obviously the more powerful god, correct?"

"Yeah, but I don't follow you."

"Because you're the less powerful man. Without even knowing, you've already come to rely on your magic. However, you try to keep doing human things, like walking and fighting. If this had been a magic fight, I'd be dead. Do you see what you need to do?" He asked.

"No, I still don't get it." I said, sitting up.

"Gods, you heroes today are so damn STUPID! Do you expect EVERYONE to hold your hand!?" he yelled. He then said, just loud enough to hear over the ringing, "M'Razzar does nothing now without his magic. If you can find a way to bypass it and force him into physical confrontation, then you can kill him. That is if you're not as stupid as you look and stop with the magic unless it's an absolute emergency."

'Oh! Now I get it."

"NO SHIT, FUCKHEAD!" He bellowed.

"Okay, okay, sorry!" I said as I clutched my skull. "What is that, a fucking Thu'um?" I asked.

"No, I just yell real loud." He replied, then grabbed me by the scruff of my neck and physically tossed me out the door.


	45. Planning Ahead, Looking Ahead

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

The Story of Octavian

Planning Ahead, Looking Ahead

I took the old nut's advice and didn't use any magic at all. To make sure I didn't use a speed-enhancing spell subconsciously, I bought a horse. My sense of smell gradually returned and I bolted the horse at full gallop towards Bruma.

I reached an intersection and turned north, coming up behind a force of sixty men. I rode ahead and stopped. Their captain approached me.

"What are you doing, traveler? It's dangerous on the roads nowadays."

"I'm heading up to Bruma, I have some Imperial Business there."

"Oh. Well, we're going to bolster the defense. It's said that something big is going to happen there."

"Like what?" I asked, having heard nothing.

"They say that there's a fight brewing, that someone might push them back."

"It's possible. I closed the Kvatch Gate, so it might happen."

"You… you're the Hero of Kvatch? By the gods, I didn't know! If you're going to Bruma too, then those bastards don't stand a chance!"

"Glad to see we're not alone." I said. "I'll catch you there."

I rode on, reaching Bruma quickly. I passed by and went to the Temple.

I went into the Hall and saw Martin in a full suit of Imperial Dragon Armor speaking with Jauffre. I didn't like what I heard.

"It's madness, Your Highness, we can't possibly risk it." Jauffre said, a slight edge of fear to his voice.

"I know what the risks are, I was at Kvatch!" Martin retorted with shocking strength. "It's either fight now or die later, we have no choice!"

"Ah, Octavian is here. Let's see what he thinks of this plan." Jauffre said.

"Very well. I've deciphered the last item we need. I should have seen it sooner. The counterpart to the Aetherial Stone you retrieved earlier: A Great Sigil Stone."

"And the only way to get one of those…" Jauffre started.

"Is to invade a Great Gate. And the only way to do that…" I continued.

"Is to let one be opened." Elena interjected.

"Correct." Martin said. "I thought of a plan involving the newly bolstered garrison at Bruma. We mass the soldiers in the only place that has enough space to house a Great Gate," he pointed to a spot on a map that took up his entire table, "here. While we remain outside and fend off any Daedra, you and your handpicked team will enter the gate and close it."

"Why a team? Couldn't I go it alone?" I asked, not wanting to endanger anyone.

"No. The second you touched the Stone it would be absorbed by your gem." Jongard said, stepping from the mess hall with a tankard of mead. "We've all talked it over, and we figured it all hinges on your ability to get someone who can touch the stone into the Sigil Chamber."

"I say we do it." I said. "I can pick my team right now."

"Very well. But wait to choose, I've sent a messenger to Countess Carvain in Bruma, and asked her to meet us in the Chapel of Talos for a Council of War. There seems no better place to finalize the plan."

And so we walked off. Twenty Blades made a tight phalanx with the new Emperor, Jauffre, and Myself at the head, and Jongard and Elena covering the rear. We came into the City drawing stares from everyone we passed. We posted the Phalanx outside the Chapel and met the Countess.

The Council was brief. Countess Carvain acknowledged that we could fight now, probably all die, but perhaps stop the invasion in it's tracks, or wait like lambs to be slaughtered.

To this day, she's my favorite politician in all of Tamriel.

I chose my team there. Myself, Jongard, and Elena. Despite the gravity of the situation I couldn't help but admire the symmetry. God, werewolf, and human. I just wished we still had a vampire.

With the planning over, we exited the Chapel. The Blades stood at attention at the City Gate, and all of Bruma's people cheered for the new Emperor, Martin Septim, son of Uriel Septim. I drew my swords, raised them, and yelled at the top of my lungs:

"Hail the Heir of the Dragonborn! Hail Martin Septim!"

The city shook with the noise of the cheers as the people watched their Emperor march to the frontlines of a war in which there could be neither truce nor surrender. This was a man they would be proud to call their ruler.

I thought for a moment of how proud I was myself to fight alongside him. But I banished all thought and focused only on the upcoming battle.

It was time to decide the fate of all the world.


	46. The Battle of Bruma

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

The Story of Octavian

The Battle of Bruma

When we reached the clearing, Martin stood before us all.

"Soldiers of Cyrodiil! Here we make our stand! We are all that remains between our world and utter destruction! Will we let them burn our homes, and kill our families? No! We will fight back! We will stave off the Daedra long enough for the Hero of Kvatch to seal the great gate and take it's Sigil Stone."

He turned towards the opening Oblivion Gate.

"Prepare yourselves! Charge!" He yelled and rushed forward. I followed, swords drawn and ready. I stayed primarily with my two companions, cutting down host after host of Dremora.

After a few minutes of fighting, another gate opened. Out poured a legion of Spider Daedra, crawling over all in their path and lancing soldiers with their spear-tipped legs. I ran into the center, until the earth was choked with the black, frozen blood of the beasts. One stabbed me in the shoulder with it's pincers, and I temporarily fell back. I downed a healing potion and ran towards the rising pile of stone and fire that was the third gate.

Daedroth lumbered out. Their huge claws tore through flesh and steel like paper. Elena and I kept close, and Jongard turned into a wolf, leaping through the host trailing red. Xivilai began to march from the opened gates, and things truly began to look dire.

The first problem was when the soldiers from Leyawiin began to retreat, leaving the flank exposed. Us outnumbered ten-to-one, this was a problem.

I led a battalion of troops myself to pick up the slack. They were all battle-tested and hardy. All that came to naught when the great gate opened and five hundred Dremora Archers stepped out. They fired at the front, but the Blade Caroline took the arrows for Martin as the entire front line was butchered.

Martin, alone and in direct view of the Archers, looked to be doomed. I rushed my men out there before they could fire again.

By the end of the second volley, only ten of us remained. By a stroke of luck, my companions were among the few survivors.

Another five hundred archers stepped out of the Great Gate, and a horrible metal shrieking was heard within.

"The Siege Engine!" Martin yelled.

"This is starting to piss me off." I said. Jongard growled in agreement.

A thousand arrows shot towards us. A black streak shot across the battlefield, and a thousand arrows fell harmlessly to the ground.

"Don't start the party without adult supervision." the tattooed vampire from Malendil's house hissed. "See? Someone could put your eyes out with these things."

He ran faster than I could track. When a thousand vampires came over the ridge and began to slaughter with him, I knew we still may win.

I ran into the gate. He, Jongard and Elena followed me.

The Deadlands don't look too different from the unstable pocket realms Dagon used as the main bases for his invasion. It was a bit darker, and things tended to explode at random.

The gigantic machine trudged forward. It was slow, but I knew if it got out of the gate then it's cannon could level the walls of Bruma in seconds.

"Use that power, kid!" The vampire said. "It won't screw you up here! Transform!"

"I can't control that! I need to react to a Divine Sphere!" I yelled over the noise of the explosions.

"Damn, you STUPID KIDS!" He yelled, shoving Elena at me. Apparently she knew what he meant, because the second she reached me, she kissed me. I realized that I'd loved her from the beginning as a kindred soul, steeped in the same sense of loss, and I felt the power awaken within me. Dibella's Divine Power.

"Octavian…" She said as I pulled away, awash in white light.

"Cut a path for us kid, you two can work this out later." The vampire said.

Jongard barked in agreement.

_"Okay. I'll cut a path. One of you grab the Stone." _I said. I unfurled my wings, and took off. I let out a war-cry to distract the Daedra, who all directed their attention at me.

I landed among them. Tens of thousands of Daedra charged at me, brandishing weapons, claws, fangs, any sharp or heavy object imaginable. I unleashed a wave of pure energy, vaporizing all those within twenty feet. I drew my swords, which glowed and changed shape. I cut down A Xivilai and Dremora who tried to reach me. The rest circled me uncertainly thirty feet away.

_"Come on,"_ I said, _"Let's play."_

The Dremora, with their pride and dignity, charged first. I lifted off just as they al swung, creating a gravity well. They were sucked in, butchered by their own weapons. Before the last body part hit the ground, a herd of Clannfear tried their luck. I simply curled my wings and then swung them out lightning-fast. The whiplash hit them like hammers, many were literally crushed. The stragglers all fled into the plains.

Last to try were a hodgepodge of Xivilai, Daedroth and Spiders. After spraying fire to kill the Spider Daedra, I cast a mass confusion spell, and watched from the red sky as they butchered each other. I flew to the Sigil Tower.

I saw the red light shoot from the top, and I knew they'd done it. But this realm was unstable, and my wings began to flicker and fade. I fell towards the ground.

Just before I hit there was a concussive impact on my stomach and a blur of motion. The next thing I knew I was on my back outside the crumbling Gate, the vampire holding the Stone and my companions lying beside me.

"Honestly, If I left anything to you then nothing would ever be done right." He grinned. "You did good, kid."

Ignoring him, I grabbed Elena's hands and kissed her, temporarily oblivious to the pain and death around me.


	47. The Aftermath

_In response to a certain anonymous review; Just wait. Since you're very wrong about a certain last fight. You'll see. And no, it's not Oblivion's endgame, either. It'll surprise you all._

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

The Story of Octavian

Aftermath

Elena and I needed to talk. I'd let the vampire deal with Martin. He was the one with the Stone.

We walked off together. "So," I said, "That was a bit sudden."

"Yeah," Elena said. "So I guess the fact that it worked means you love me?"

"It does. I just hadn't realized it yet." I said, for once serious.

"What happened?" She asked. "We've only seen each other for a few days tops before now."

"I don't know. I guess it's because we've both lost so many people. We're very much alike." I thought for a second. "Do you love me?"

"I think so." She said. "I've never really been sure when it comes to men, though."

I didn't have anything to say to that. It hurt and she knew it.

We wound up just standing there for a minute. Then we heard a whistling.

"Oi! Kid!" It was the vampire.

"What? It's not that good a time for this." I yelled back.

"You two can do that stuff lovers do inside. It's so cold out here she won't enjoy it anyway!"

"Damn, what's with you?"

But Elena was laughing, so I lightened up. "What is it?"

"I gave your boss the Sigil Stone. In return he said that he'd write up decrees immediately to give our kind some slack. So your pact with Janus is done."

"How did you know about that?" I asked.

"My pupils always keep in touch. Unless they die. Which he did."

"Who the hell are you?"

"I'm the oldest living thing outside of Argonia, kid. I'm over three thousand years old, and one of the three surviving members of Lamae the Bloodmatron's direct Clan." He said.

"You sound proud of that." I said.

"Well, princes are proud to be the sons of Kings, aren't they?"

He looked to the horizon. "Only an hour to get back to the Waterfront. That Malendil may not look like much at first glance, but she's a nut job in bed." He said with a wink. He then ran off.

"Later, kid!" He yelled.

"I like him." Elena said.

"Me too." I couldn't help but agree.

We walked back to the Temple together. I felt a bit depressed still that she hadn't given me a straight "yes," but I figured there was plenty of time.

Jongard greeted us at the Gate. "Don't go in, Martin's setting up with some of the Vampire Elders."

"So we have some time to kill?" I asked.

"If you're referring to the Order of the Fang and a certain someone you've been hunting, then yes, we do have some time to kill." Jongard said. He could really be a humorless bastard sometimes.

"So, how can I get to Lachance?" I asked.

"He's gone into hiding at Fort Farragut, apparently it's his secret base." Jongard said. "But first the Order has to be dealt with."

I was pissed. I wanted to kill Lachance now. "If we don't kill him, they'll make M'Razzar a Gem like mine, and we'll all be dead."

"Think about it, Octavian!" Jongard said. "You're letting your rage cloud your judgment. M'Razzar probably knows that the Blades are weakened by the battle. He'll be quick to send some lackeys over here." Jongard suddenly got distant.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"We lost many good people." He said, quietly. He seemed to choke up.

"Are you sure you're okay to do this?" I asked.

He sat down. "We can leave at dawn tomorrow. I need… time."

I looked at him. Elena walked down to Bruma to get supplies and sort her own thoughts out. I sat next to Jongard.

"I have bad luck with women." He said after a while.

"Like how?" I asked.

"Many years ago, I was traveling with a band of adventurers. One of them was a girl that I fell in love with. I didn't tell her before she died. She was killed by werewolves in an Ice Cave." He said. He sighed and continued, "It took me a long time to get over it."

"As well it should." I said. "Losing a loved one hurts. Losing someone you're in love with hurts even more."

"Recently, I'd been hanging around here, telling Jauffre about what missions were being done, by whom, and my own progress in missions, and one of the Blades, Caroline, she…" He stopped.

"You fell in love with her. And you saw her die in the battle."

Jongard let out a sound that shook me to the core. A cross between a sob, a bark, and a dog's whine. "Yes. This time, though, I told her before the battle. She felt the same way about me." he started growling. "Daedra bastards! I'll kill them all!"

"You can't." I said. "I'm sorry about this whole thing, and I'm sorry that life's thrown shit at you, but now you're just being stupid. What did you just say about rage clouding judgment?"

"Shut up!" He growled and stormed off.

I sat there for a few more minutes before Elena came back.

"Is he okay?" She asked, concerned.

"I hope so. He's been through a lot, but I think he's strong enough to pull through."

"What happened?" She asked. I told her.

"By the gods…." She said. "Octavian, I'm a bit scared that could happen to us."

"I know." I said, "It scares me too. Now that I realize how I feel, I worry something might happen."

Very unprofessional, but you don't choose these things, do you?

Jongard came back eventually, and apologized. "I'm sorry Octavian. You were just trying to help and I snapped at you."

"Look, you've been through a lot. I'd be more scared if you didn't get pissed. Just channel the rage at our enemies."

"Alright. I need some sleep. I'm turning in now." he said, despite it being early morning still.

Elena and I found a place to sleep since the Temple was closed off. Even though we went to bed early, we didn't sleep until long after dark.

What happened? That's between me, her, and whoever heard through the paper-thin walls of Olav's Tap-and-Tack.


	48. The Order's End

_To whom it may concern: Anonymous reviewing is disabled for a bit. That guy was grating on my nerves. I don't care if you review me bad, but don't just go "You suck, since your ending is generic, even though I don't know what it is." So either be a pointless asshole to my face or say something constructive, good or bad. _

_To all others who review anonymously: Sorry for the inconvenience. Either tell me elsewhere or sign on, I guess._

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

The Story of Octavian

The Order's End

Elena led us to the secret entrance the next day. She moved the stone blocking it and we entered.

Obviously, we weren't welcome.

As soon as we set foot inside, a cadre of blank-eyed warriors stepped out at us.

Jongard roared and jumped onto a man, tearing him apart as he convulsed violently into his wolf form.

I dove and grabbed the head, and threw it with all my strength at another man. His face caved as it collided. I drew my swords and leapt into the group.

Elena had trouble, recognizing people she knew from before as they tried to kill her. Eventually, we managed to kill the last of them.

Jongard led from there, following a scent. He pawed down the hallways growling and snarling, killing any opposition before I was within range to attack. The reached an enormous ebony door.

"That's the door to the Elder's Chamber." Elena said. Jongard barked in agreement.

"M'Razzar's here." I said. I ran at the door and cut with all my force in a cross shape. It left a dent, but didn't cause much damage.

"Hold on, there's a secret method." Elena said. She put her fingers in two small holes. She then said a short sermon of Arkay, and cast a minor fire spell.

The door began to open, but then it stopped.

An unearthly roar filled the secret lair. I recognized it easily. I proceeded to bash the door again. This time, it worked. I dislodged whatever was holding it shut and tore it open.

Jongard and Elena ran for the Elders, I ran straight for the man in the middle.

_"Pathetic HUMAN!"_ M'Razzar yelled, lunging at me, all claws and teeth. I jumped to the left, and he rolled. His now distorted face snarled at me, his newly formed scales glistening around his whitening fur.

His new extra arm lashed out, stretching towards me. I spun the Aetherial Blade, and sliced it off. It grew legs of it's own and jumped towards him. It reconnected elsewhere, and the stump grew yet another hand.

The increasingly distorted god shrieked and tried to bite me. I jammed the Void Blade between one set of his jaws, and kicked the face growing on his chest. He stumbled back, then began throwing spell after spell at me.

_"Hrrn, hrrm… You do not use your power?"_ he wailed. I sidestepped a ball of lightning and flame. I kicked a rock at him, and it passed clean through his main head, shattering frail bones and flesh. He roared and his chest-face gained much more distinguishable traits.

"No need." I said. I lunged and stabbed, but he fled. I gave chase, but he used spells to make himself faster. I returned to the central chamber when I lost his trail.

"They're all dead here." Elena said. "They used to be so noble, but then he came."

Jongard growled and transformed back into his human form. "All good things come to an end." he said.

"May as well enjoy them now." I said, looking meaningfully at Elena. She looked back at me.

Now was the time. I set off alone from there. I was going to kill the bastard that had started this whole thing.


	49. Vengeance Given

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

The Story of Octavian

Vengeance Given

I had to commandeer a horse, but I got to Fort Farragut without incident.

I drew my swords and walked in through the front doors. I was greeted by some ancient skeletons that appeared to be falling apart. I ignored them as their ancient, rusted longswords snapped on my well-maintained armor. The force shattered their arms and they wandered, wailing uselessly as they lost balance and broke themselves on the ground.

I kicked in a door, then cut a very rusty gate down. It would have crumbled under the slightest touch anyway.

I reached a central chamber. Lachance stood in the corner. He thrust his arms upwards in surrender. I was amazed at the squalor. He must have been living in self-exile here for some time, based on the filth on and around him.

"Please, I've made a terrible mistake." He got down on his knees. "Please find it in your heart to forgive me." He begged.

"Why should I _**forgive you?"**_ I asked, my voice resounding. _**"You killed the closest thing I had to a living father!"**_ I yelled. I felt spikes begin to just from my back and my shadow lengthened as light emanated from the new protrusions.

"Please, it was all M'Razzar's idea, he gave us the contract for the stone, and my superiors worked out the details, I only followed orders. Ah!" He gasped as I picked him up by the throat, growing three feet taller.

_**"You held the weapon! You shed his blood!"**_ I yelled.

"Please, please!" he pleaded. I crushed him. Lachance's dead body fell to the ground in a heap as I returned to my normal size and the spiky protrusions disappeared from my back. I gave a yell of triumph, but I couldn't gloat over my vengeance for long.

_"You've done my job for me."_ M'Razzar said. _"Now the stone is mine!"_

I saw the wisps of Lachance's soul flow towards his pocket. Before I could react, the monster was upon him. He slammed his horned heads into the body, rearing and tossing it over himself. The stone fell out and landed on his forehead. He roared as it burned into his flesh.

_**"I am a GOD! I AM ABSOLUTE!"**_ M'Razzar yelled. He grew thirteen wings and broke through the stone roof of the chamber with his seven arms. He flew away, faster than I could track. Lachance had completed the stone, and I had delivered it onto my enemy's hands.

I jumped out and grabbed my horse. I'd follow him as best I could.

I rode the beast harder than I should have. I managed to keep M'Razzar just above the horizon as I chased him. I then saw tiny pinpricks of off-color light. I jumped off the horse as it was disintegrated by hundreds of tiny fireballs.

M'Razzar landed, a colossus of twenty feet. All black scales, white fur, claws, teeth, wings, and mismatched limbs. He roared at me through three Dragonic heads and spoke with two others: _**"The Oldest One has blessed my endeavors, even you cannot stop His champion!" **_

I ignored this and ran at the demon. I jumped onto one of his arms as tentacles began pushing out and he attempted to ensnare me. I jumped away and threw the Void Blade. It sliced through several tentacles, but he kept re-growing them. I ran straight, grabbing and yanking off the limbs as they approached. I pulled my right arm back and thrust. The Aetherial Blade pushed into him, and he wailed terribly. I pulled it out and cut horizontally, and he burst out with a shockwave. The wounded devil took off and fled.

This time I didn't give chase. I couldn't catch him on foot without using magic. I started the long, quiet walk back to the Temple, sans one of my supernatural weapons. The Void Blade had been absorbed into him.


	50. Paradise

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

The Story of Octavian

Paradise

It took me several days to walk back to the Temple. By the time I got there, everything was ready. It was time to take back what was Martins.

I quickly filled Jongard and Elena in on what happened. The mysterious vampire ancient had disappeared, but he always seemed to know everything anyway, so I didn't care. I walked into the hall.

"Good, you're here. At any moment I can open the Gate to Camoran's Paradise." Martin said as I walked in. four vampires stood around a large drawing on the floor, each holding one of the four needed items. "Stand in the middle when you're ready and we'll start the ritual."

"Let's go. I don't even think we have time for me to be a wiseass." I replied.

I stood in the middle. Martin raised the book above his head, and each of the Vampire ancients raised their items. They all shot upwards and formed into a ball of light, which shot down and slammed right into me. I was enveloped in the red light and then out I popped into a strange garden.

It was beautiful and surreal, but something about it gave it an air of absolute terror. Then I felt something shove it's way into my mind.

"So, the cat's-paw of the Septims arrives at last. You didn't think to catch me unawares, Here of all places? In the paradise that I created? Look now, upon my paradise, Gaiar Alata, in the old tongue, a vision of the past... and the future." A familiar voice said.

"Hello. I'm gonna need that jewel." I said to the air. The voice of Camoran laughed and went silent, but I could feel the terror he generated in my mind. I walked on. Several minor Daedra stood in my way. I slew them easily, coming to an Ayleidic bridge. Over it lay a huge landscape, and in it a mountain with what looked like an ancient Ayleid castle on it. The voice in my head spoke up again.

"Behold the Savage Garden, where my disciples are tempered for a higher destiny: to rule over Tamriel Reborn. If you are truly the Hero of Destiny, as I hope, then the garden shall not hold you for long. Lift your eyes to Carac Agailor, my seat at the pinnacle of Paradise. I shall await you there. "

"I'll see you there, then. Get some drinks out." I said to the voice. It laughed again, and went silent, ever-present.

On the bridge I simply slew a single Daedroth and a Frost Atronach. Nothing too fancy, and nothing much worth noting, save a single satisfied grunt from the voice in my head.

After traveling the Garden, I came to another bridge. A single Dremora stood there, but he had the regal armor of a Daedric Count. He approached me, giving a sign of no enmity.

"You are the mortal who fought at Ganonah. My kin say you fought with such power and determination as to rival our own. There is no dishonor in our speaking." He said to me.

"Very well. Which realm is Ganonah?" I asked.

"My kin destroyed your city Kvatch, a task fit for Scamps until you came. Then you showed us that humans, too, can have honor, even one who no longer is one, Interloper."

"What does that mean?" I asked. "You're the second Daedra to call me that."

"I am Kathutet, The Daedric Count. You are Octavian, prophesied to bring about the World's End. There is no dishonor in speaking to one such as you."

"Wait, what?" I asked. "You got the wrong idea, that's pretty much the opposite of what I'm trying to do!"

"The Interloper will bring about the end of the world, for his power is not meant to be. His Secret Foe will steal it when he attempts to use it, and destroy all life with it."

"Well, that's a bit disheartening." I said.

"We have business, you and I." Kathutet said. "You need the Bands of the Chosen to continue. I hold those. You must bring me honor to get them. You may face me in battle, so whether I win or lose I may say I fought the Interloper. Or you may offer me service."

"I choose battle." I said.

"The simple choice of an animal, but courageous. Prepare yourself!" He yelled, and attacked. He cut down with a Daedric Longsword, but I managed to turn it by drawing the Aetherial Blade quickly. While he was staggering, I sliced upwards, destroying him. I picked up his sword and the bands. I now had two weapons again. But before I could continue, the voice spoke up again:

"How little you understand! You cannot stop Lord Dagon! The Principalities have sparkled as gems in the black regions of Oblivion since the first morning. Many are their names, and the names of their masters. The Coldharbor of Meridia, Peryite's Quagmire, the Moon Shadows of Mephala and... and Dawn's Beauty, the princedom of Lorkhan, misnamed "Tamriel" by deluded Mortals. Yes, you understand now. Tamriel is just one more Daedric Realm of Oblivion, long since lost to its prince, when he was betrayed by those that served him. Lord Dagon cannot invade Tamriel, his birthright! He comes to liberate the occupied lands!"

"That may be, but I see a few flaws. For one, A Daedric Prince can make his realm alone. Lorkhan needed help from the Aedra."

"Haha! Finally an educated hero!" The voice said.

I found a cave over the bridge Kathutet was guarding, and went into a cave I found on the other side. At the far end of that lay a bizarre door that resonated with the wristbands I took from Kathutet. I slapped them on, only to have them seal onto me. Ignoring that for the moment, I entered the door, which swung open as soon as I touched it.

The next room was hot, filled with red light from the lava in which people with a Daedric Immorality were being tortured. I came upon an Altmer in Mythic dawn robes, who spoke before I could react.

"You have the bands!" he said. "I'm sorry to have to tell you this, but you've trapped yourself in here. They make the doors seal behind you.""

"Who are you?" I asked.

"I am Eldamil. I was one of Camoran's chief Lieutenants. I activated the Great Gate at Kvatch." He said, tears brewing in his eyes. "I need to redeem myself! I need to end this hell!"

"You and me both." I said.

"Can you? Can you kill Mankar Camoran?" He asked. "If you can, I'll take those bands off you, and you can get out of here."

"Very well." I said. "I'll just kill everything that moves in here, then we'll go up and kill Camoran." Before he could reply, I jumped over him and slaughtered the Dremora that was about to kill him. I then ran into the next chamber and killed three Dremora Churls, catching them by surprise. Eldamil followed me in.

"What are you?" he asked, looking at the slaughter.

"I'm the World's End." I said. It seemed fitting.

"Well, lets get those bands off you, then." he said, and cast a spell. The weird wristbands fell off, completely useless.

"Then let's go." I said, then the voice spoke up again.

"Ask yourself, how is it that mighty gods die, yet the Daedra stand incorruptible? How is it that the Daedra forthrightly proclaim themselves to man, while the gods cower behind statues and the faithless words of traitor-priests? It is simple... they are not gods at all. The truth has been in front of you since you first were born. The Daedra are the true gods of this universe. Julianos, Dibella and Stendarr are all Lorkhan's betrayers, posing as divinities in the principality that has lost it's guiding light. What are scholarship, love and mercy, compared to fate, night and destruction? The gods are trifling shadows of the First Causes. They have tricked you for ages. Why do you think your world has always been contested ground, the arena of powers and immortals? It is Tamriel, the Realm of Change, Brother to Madness, Sister to Deceit. Your false gods could not entirely rewrite history, thus you remember tales of Lorkhan, vilified, a dead trickster whose heart came to Tamriel. But if a god can die... how does his heart survive? He is Daedroth! TAMRIEL AE DAEDROTH! 'This Heart is the Heart of the World, for one was made to satisfy the other.' You all remember this. It is in every legend. Daedra cannot die, so your so-called gods cannot erase him from your minds completely!"

"Ask yourself, how is it that A Daedra Heart works?" I shot back. "It's no longer part of the being itself, it has no connection to the Daedric Animus, but it still heals. An Aedric Body part could do the same."

"Clever, Champion." Was all he said.

I continued on. Eldamil and I slaughtered our way through minor Daedra, until Camoran spoke to me again:

"Well done, Champion. Your progress is swift and sure, perhaps you will reach me after all. You think I mock you? Not at all. In your coming, I hear the footsteps of Fate. You are the last defender of decadent Tamriel, I am the midwife of the Mythic Dawn, Tamriel Reborn. I welcome you, if you truly are the agent of Fate. I tire of the self-styled heroes who set themselves in my path only to prove unworthy in the event."

"Makes me question your convictions a bit. You've been waiting for someone strong enough to kill you? Or are you not sure of yourself, and need to see a Champion of the Septims killed by your own hand to prove it to yourself?" I asked.

"Very well done, Champion." He said.

Eventually, I came out of those accursed caves to sweet fresh air, though the constant vibe of terror emanating from the land itself didn't help much. I passed through the gates to the Castle, between Camoran's two children. I stepped inside and approached his throne.

He rose to greet me. The Amulet sparkled like a glass of water in the desert, or perhaps one of blood.

"I have a waited a long time for you, Champion of Old Tamriel. You are the last gasp of a dying age. You breathe the stale air of false hope. How little you understand! You cannot stop Lord Dagon! The walls between our worlds are crumbling! The Mythic Dawn grows nearer with every rift in the firmament! Soon, very soon, the lines now blurred will be erased. Tamriel and Oblivion rejoined. The Mythic Age Reborn! Lord Dagon shall walk Tamriel again, the world shall be remade, the new age shall rise from the ashes of the old! My vision shall be realized! Weakness shall be purged from the world, and mortal and immortal alike purified in the refiner's fire! My long duel with the Septims is over, and I have the mastery. The Emperor is dead, the Amulet of Kings is mine, and the last defender of the last ragged Septim stands before me, in the heart of my power. Let us see who at last has proved the stronger."

"Sometimes a last gasp of stale air is all it takes to do what has to be done." I said to him. "And that is all we can ever truly do." I said.

"You are wise and powerful, Champion. If you do destroy me here, and all my life and works are rendered ash, what will you do? After this whole ordeal has ended in one way or another, what then will you make of your life? You thrive on war, and Dagon is war."

"You are also wise, and also powerful." I said. "In other circumstances, we could have been friends. In fact, all that I am is because of you. If you hadn't sent out your assassins months ago when you killed the Emperor, I'd still be in prison. I may have rotted there for life. It's a shame I need to kill you. There is no alternative, one of us must die."

"Very well." he said. "You came for the Amulet, then take it. If you can!"

With that he whipped his staff around, aiming a blow at my head. I dodged back, and then he shot a burst of pure magic at me. Only it wasn't like any magic I'd ever seen. It was a black jet of smoke, which sucked all traces of magicka from all it touched. I managed to avoid it's main blast, but it still sucked a good chunk out of me. Me being me, that was a very bad thing.

I jumped up and slashed down, but he caught the Daedric metal against the ring of his staff. He lashed out with it physically, trying to trip me up. I managed to catch myself and thrust with the Aetherial Blade. He knocked it aside, but the discharge from the polarized energies of our weapons threw us back. I managed to reabsorb most of my stolen magic in the blast. I ran at him, and stabbed. He managed to dodge, and my new Daedric sword was stuck in the wall.

He then punched at me. He landed a blow to my face, and surprised me with his strength. I fell over backwards. He summoned the longsword to him, and thrust downward. I managed to roll, avoiding the blow by a hair, and kicked his face. He cast lighting at me, only it was jet black and red. More absorbing magic. I dodged, giving it a wide berth, and threw the discarded longsword at him.

The hit wasn't lethal. It cut his throat, but missed all his major vessels. The shock was enough to slow him. I ran at him and stabbed with the Aetherial Blade in the seconds he was distracted.

He doubled over. "My dream…" He muttered. "All I wanted was… a Tamriel where we could all live. A Tamriel united, no more politics, plotting. A world for the future." He coughed blood, and died. His body began to twitch and shake, the Gem on my hand resonated, and he exploded.

The Amulet flew through the air, flying over the crumbling walls. I jumped over myself, and dove. I sailed down the mountainside after the Amulet. I saw a cascade of white light coming from the edges of the horizon. I threw myself into freefall.

My finger just barely touched the Amulet as the light enveloped me. I fell face-first onto the floor of Cloud Ruler Temple. In my hand was clutched the Sacred Red Stone, but left behind on the world that no longer existed, was the second of my Magickal Swords. The Aetherial Blade was gone.


	51. Crisis Ended

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

The Story of Octavian

Crisis Ended

I stood and dusted myself off, the Amulet swinging from my hand.

"You're back! You have the Amulet!" Martin said. "Then Camoran?" he asked.

"Dead, and the Amulet's back!" I said, passing it to him.

"By the Nine," he said, looking at it, "I've never seen anything like it."

"Put it on." I said.

"What? Put it on?" He asked, distracted.

"It's yours, the undeniable proof of your legitimacy. If you walk up to Ocato wearing that, then there is no denying who and what you are." I said.

"Yes," he said, "you're right, of course. This is my Fate. There is no denying it."

"Fate or no," I said, "it's high time we ended this whole thing."

He hesitated for a mere moment, then unhooked the Amulet's chain, and hooked it behind his head. It stayed, and hung as though it had only ever belonged there.

"Told you, My Lord." I said, with a friendly bow. "You are the Emperor."

"I didn't need this to see that. I've known it since you first told me in Kvatch. Uriel Septim was my Father."

"Yes, now we can't waste any more time," Jongard said, coming in, with new life in his eyes. "We need to get to the Temple of the One."

We took the finest Black Horses to the Imperial City, covering the distance in only two days. We rode in and Martin ordered us to go to White-Gold Tower first, to be officially sworn in as Emperor. Not a day goes by I wish he hadn't, as it was the only bad judgment I ever heard out of him.

We went in through the main entrance, and were escorted to the Elder Council Chamber. We were met by Jauffre and Baurus, and after only a moment's wait, we were greeted personally by Chancellor Ocato.

"We're here on a vital matter," Jongard said, "We have here the last true Septim heir after the public disowning of Calaxes and the death of Uriel Septim's legitimate sons. We need him to be sworn in so a legitimate coronation may take place."

"Ah, Martin Septim, the Warrior-King, arrives at last." Ocato said with respect. 'The Council has made a unanimous decision after the news of what happened at Bruma." he knelt before Martin. "Martin Septim, I officially recognize you as Heir to the Dragon Throne, The Flesh of Talos, and the Blood of…" Ocato hesitated, a bloodied soldier limped into the room.

"Chancellor Ocato! Daedra are inside the walls! Gates have opened all over the city, and Oblivion itself spreads!" He said, half-mad, before collapsing, dead of his wounds.

"Majesty, what do you command? Shall we hole up in the Palace?' Ocato asked.

"No!" Martin said with startling conviction. "If we get besieged in the palace we're doomed. We need to get to the Temple of the One and relight the Dragonfires. Evacuate the civilians here, the Daedra will follow me wherever I go, they will be safe for a time in the Palace."

So we set out, and so the End began. Thirty men including myself, Jongard, Elena and Martin left the Tower to a terrible sight. Bloodgrass and Harrada overgrew the walls, and Oblivionic Spike Traps jutted out of and into every wall save the Tower. We were charged by a pack of Xivilai, who smashed into our flank with terrible force. We pushed back, but the beasts outflanked us quickly. Surrounded and outnumbered, the first sacrifice was made. Baurus stepped forward.

"Run, all of you. Get Martin out of here!" he yelled, and berserked, slicing madly with his odd fighting style. At first I fought alongside him, but he threw me aside. "The Blades are sworn to die for the Emperor! I reserve my place in Aetherius! Get him out of here!" He yelled as a Xivilai stabbed him in the back.

"No!" I yelled as the beasts overran him. I saw that there was nothing I could do, so I herded Martin and the others away from the unholy feast.

We hit the Temple District, and the situation worsened. Now down to fifteen men, we were surrounded by Dremora. At their head stood a Daedric Count.

"Hold!" he said. "Interloper, face me once more, and I will let you pass!"

"Kathutet?" I asked.

"I have returned from the dark and deep of Oblivion, now face me again!" he yelled, charging me. I grabbed a sword from a nearby body and blocked a blow. The sword I was using shattered. I punched with all my strength, cracking Kathutet's ceremonial cuirass. He grunted and threw down his weapon, grabbing at my throat. I grabbed back, and we wrestled on the ground, neither having any advantage. I saw the approaching Harrada plants, slithering towards the movement. I pushed with all my strength and the horrid plants enveloped him, stabbing him to death and tearing him apart to digest.

I grabbed his sword and led the small group forward again. Mad with rage over the death of Baurus, I charged headlong into a throng, my rage unmaking them as Pelinal Whitestrake's unmade the Ayleid civilization. It was in this way, soaked with black blood and caked with body parts, I first saw a Daedric Prince face-to-face.

Mehrunes Dagon. Two hundred feet of pure muscle, armor and scale, he tore into buildings, crumbling them with the glee of a child with a new toy. He smashed the ground with his axe, then saw me.

_**"My child, do you come to fight me?" **_His voice boomed. _**"It was I who made you who you are, and you're purpose is mine!"**_

"I choose my own destiny!" I yelled at him. "I will not do what you want me to! And you will answer for every life you've ended in the Blackness of Oblivion!" I jumped up, climbing his scales and sparse hair like a disgusting, living mountain. I jumped onto his shoulder as he tried to swipe me off, and thrust into his neck.

_**"My defiant son!"**_ He laughed as he fell to the ground, Blood as black as night pouring all over me.

"I'll never be a son to you, my Father lives within me!"

_**"Only for a few hours more!"**_ The Prince roared as he struggled in his armor.

"Martin, now! Run to the Temple!" I yelled, jumping off the heaving mass.

We ran, hoping the survivors could continue living as we did what had to be done.

"What can we do? The Barriers are already gone." Martin said.

"Is there anything else the Amulet does? Hurry, we only have a moment!" I said.

"The Power of the Divines. I don't know how to use it as a weapon! Although I have one last hope, follow me to the central chamber." He said, a look in his eye that I had seen only once in his Father, a look of final defiance, a willingness to face Death as an equal.

"No! Martin, you don't have to do…" I started, but he was already off.

I ran after him, but he could use magic to augment his speed. I got to the central chamber only moments after he did, running face-first into a barrier. Martin stood in the center of the Fire-pit.

"Farewell, my friend. I cannot stay and help rebuild." Martin said, as the Temple Dome was torn off by Dagon. "That is your duty, and my last order to you as Emperor. The Dragon awaits."

Jongard, Elena and the five remaining survivors ran in just as Martin destroyed the Amulet, his blood from the lacerations it made on his hands coursing over what looked like a tiny Nirn and her Moons. Suddenly there was a massive explosion, and a colossal Dragon erupted from it's center.

The Golden Beast flew up to the crimson sky, so that all could see. A massive Void was visible in His chest, and His eyes and skin were as fire.

"Bow in the presence of Shor." Jongard said, falling to his knees.

The Dragon dove at Dagon, His talons shredding The Prince's armor like parchment. Dagon wailed, and the Dragon landed in front of him. He belched fire, which Dagon managed to deflect off his buckler. Dagon conjured a massive hammer, and smashed the Dragon's left wing with it. He roared, and bit at Dagon, tearing chunks of his flesh to the ground. Dagon suddenly lashed out with a hidden blade, stabbing the Dragon through the void in his chest. Thus wounded, the Dragon unleashed fire as Dagon struggled to free his arm from the Void. Sprayed with pure Aetherial light, Dagon's new body couldn't withstand supporting itself any longer. He fell to the ground, becoming dust as he fell. All the Oblivionic plants also disintegrated, and a wail was heard as all the Daedra disappeared.

Then, I heard a voice, it was familiar.

"The Last of the Septims has gone into History. The Third Age has ended. Farewell my friend, and remember my order." Martin said.

Ocato burst in, caked with blood as I was. He looked us at the sky, which was blue once again. 'What was that? Where's Martin, I must congratulate him! The gods themselves have intervened! The Avatar of Akatosh destroyed Dagon!"

"Martin is gone. That was him." I said, feeling dull to the whole world.

"Gone? What do you mean, it was him? That Dragon…"

Silence filled the Temple. For a moment, we all lamented the loss of Martin.

"We all mourn for Martin. He was the greatest Emperor since Tiber Septim himself. However, I must attend to you." Ocato said. "In my capacity as Lord High Chancellor of the Elder Council and Regent of the Empire, I name you Champion of Cyrodiil! The highest honor in the Order of the Dragon, the Knights of Tiber Septim himself."

I was aware of being proud. But I was dead inside at this point. Baurus and Martin, as well as many others dead. But I allowed myself a moment of peace.

It didn't last.


	52. The Beginning of the World's End

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

The Story of Octavian

The Beginning of the World's End

I looked at the statue that had taken the place of the Dragon. It's chest had filled in, and it's wing seemed healed. It would stand as a monument for all eternity.

Just as the sky finally finished becoming blue again, the world was shaken by a forceful jolt. Loose stones clattered to the ground and dust was swept off the floor as the winds picked up.

The sky turned a bizarre shade of dull reddish-grey, seeming to drip with viscera. The world shook again, and blood rained.

"What the hell is going on?" One of the survivors yelled. I heard a terrible sound, faint, but there. A cross between slithering and crunching. Then I looked at White-Gold Tower.

M'Razzar was unlike anything I'd ever seen before or since. A huge serpentine tail was around the Tower, and growing from it was a terrifying mass of black scale, he had seven arms and thirteen wings, and hundreds of eyes on his massive, disgusting head.

_**"This is your end! Octavian! Come and face me!"**_ He roared to all the beings of the world. I took a sword from a guard and ran. I got to the Tower in mere moments, then jumped onto the disgusting, slimy tail. I ran up it, feeling how frail the Beast's flesh was. Hands grew and tried to grab at my ankles, but they were so frail they snapped against me with no effect.

I was blind with adrenaline. I knew this was the end. One of us would die here.

I reached the top, and jumped to the Tower head. I stood in the center of the circular platform.

"So this is how it ends?" I asked, looking straight at the massive form. This was what I had been waiting for, for far too long.

_**"So it must."**_ He said. _**"I will take back the power I was foolish enough to waste on you!"**_

I smirked. "Have it your way."

I jumped up and swiped at his enormous hand as it came down at me. It snapped off like paper. M'Razzar wailed, and all the glass in the city shattered. I ran up his stump towards his head. He electrified himself, throwing me off. I writhed on the ground in pain, and M'Razzar prepared for an ending blow.

I was swept out of the way at the last second. I looked to see who my rescuer was. I was surprised.

There stood the ancient vampire, his tattoos glowing malignantly. He dropped me and ran at M'Razzar.

_**"You seek to unmake me, Father?"**_ The demon shouted, as the vampire jumped up his stump as I had. As he prepared to swipe him off, Jongard appeared and stabbed his flaming scimitar into the beast's wormlike hide.

M'Razzar shuddered, knocking both off, and changed to a form like a giant, winged troll. He hurled a black spell at me, but I'd recovered, and sidestepped. I jumped up and dropkicked the beast in the chest, my feet passing through the fragile being and obliterating his left lung. Green blood cascaded over me. I got up and slashed with my silver sword, removing a wing. He threw a spell at me, and I dodged again. Jongard impaled his other wing, rendering it useless. The vampire bit down. He sucked out the green blood and jumped away.

"I created you, and I damn myself for it. As all my other children, you now die by my own hand!" He yelled.

With unnatural ferocity, the vampire attacked his blood-kin. He used his nails and teeth primarily, as his tattoos glowed red as the rain. He cast a seeming useless physical shield spell over himself, then jumped back, motioning for us to do the same. He motioned at me, and I ran in and incapacitated the oversized troll by removing his leg as he tried to recover himself. Jongard was next, slicing off an arm.

The vampire then taunted M'Razzar, calling him a worthless son, the bane of all his endeavors. M'Razzar then hurled a massive, sustained spell at him. I watched in horror, certain that the vampire would be rendered ash. The spell weakened, and I saw him still intact. I watched, wondering how he was alive. Then I felt it, an absorption spell covered up under his physical shield.

He burst with pure magickal energy as M'Razzar's last strength began to fade, enveloping M'Razzar's mangled god-body. When the dust cleared, we saw the husk. Something shuffled around inside, and out fell M'Razzar. No longer divine, his vampirism had even been eradicated by the vampire's redirected spell.

"So it ends." The vampire said, crouching over M'Razzar's still living form. "Octavian, it must be you and I together."

I walked forward, sword in hand, caked with blood of all manners, tired beyond measure. I looked, and saw the end in sight. On M'Razzar's forehead lay the gem which held Lucien Lachance's soul. It was all that gave him life still.

"Father…" M'Razzar managed to mutter. "Someday… forgive me."

"You already are. But, as I killed my own lover, as I have killed all my sons, this must be done." The vampire said. "It is time. Go in peace, my son, by the hand of your father and his grandson."

Myself and the vampire simultaneously raised our swords, his a katana, mine a stolen longsword, and we thrust downward. We both impaled M'Razzar's head to the stone, shattering the Soulgem into thousands of shards.

The shards danced around me in the air, then all focused into one point, shooting their way at my own Stone. I felt no additional power, but something felt different.

Then we heard the beeping and whirring from behind us, and turned to see a strange device.


	53. World's End Spire

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

The Story of Octavian

World's End Spire

It looked like some sort of switch. It was made of the same white stone as the Tower, and it was sticking out of a miniature trapdoor. On it's top was a blue thing and several panels, several small colored lights were also present, blinking serenely.

The words "ACTIVATION CODE 21334231, LINK MODULE PRESENT, INSERT POWER SOURCE…." played across the blue. A panel opened and a handprint was revealed, as was a red thing.

"The Tower Switch!" The vampire gasped as the bloody rain stopped. "I had been wondering what your Stone was, but I should have puzzled it out."

"What is this?" I asked.

"Each Tower has a Stone. That alone isn't enough to switch it on. It needs an outside activator. Kagrenac was using that on Red Tower, that's what the tools were, an activation power source." He replied. "If you put your hand there, your Stone should switch it on."

"Well… What'll that do?" I asked.

"Last time someone lit a Tower, we got the Dragon Break. But they didn't have the same power regulators that we do, and they also did something very bad. Can't quite remember what it was, though." He shrugged. "I've always been one for trying new things."

"Well, alright." I said, too tired to fully register the magnitude of what he'd just told me. I placed my hand on the handprint.

"Okay, now push the red button." he said.

"The what?"

"The red thing next to the handprint, push it in."

I pushed it, and then metal bands shot out and tied my hand down. "Gah, what the hell is this?" I asked, suddenly wide awake. Then I was covered with pure energy, tearing through my body, sucking me down into the device. I pulled away, but I was stuck. I screamed with pain as the jolts increased in intensity. Suddenly the bands released and I fell backwards. On the back of my alabaster-white hand was just a red mark in the shape of my Stone, it had been taken, and my godhood with it.

The vampire collapsed to his knees. "Serpent, get away! I'll kill you, worm! Your other was killed, I saw his body!" He then spouted several ramblings in a language I didn't understand, but it sounded like a cross between Nordic and Aldmeris. He sprung up and yelled in Tamrielic, "I RENOUNCE YOUR FILTH, AURI-EL, FATHER OF MY ENEMY!"

The sky swam with black and a rift opened with the sound of metal being torn. Out from it floated a colossal golden Dragon, eyes white and talons black as jet.

_**"That fool should never have come down here!"**_ Akatosh said. _**"My enemy who was me, he foolishly split from our double entity to aid his human people one last time. And where is he now? Petrified among the mortal filth!"**_

"What the hell is going on?" I asked.

_**"You and M'Razzar were wonderful pawns. The function of Tower Installation 3 is to draw power from the others and open a portal to anywhere in the galaxy."**_

"So you're the 'Hidden Enemy!'" I said.

_**"You should learn to interpret prophecies before acting on them."**_ He said, then made to lunge at me. Suddenly he jerked back, screaming. I turned around and saw the vampire, his sword stuck into the blue part of the device, which had turned red. The words "ERROR: SELF REPAIR INITIATED. RE-INITIALIZING SYSTEM CONFIGURATION" was dimly visible on it. Akatosh flew away, spiraling upwards, coming to a rest just below the rift. He encased himself in a black bubble.

_**"It's only a matter of time before the system repairs itself."**_ He taunted. _**"You can do NOTHING!"**_

"Yes we can!" The vampire yelled. "Jonny, are you prepared to go?"

"I am." Jongard said, drawing his swords.

"Wait, where are you going?" I asked.

"Sovngarde." Jongard said. "I must die."

"No! What the fuck are you talking about?" I asked, my head throbbing.

"When he destroyed the Stone of Red Tower, he was wearing most of the activation module. He is the Stone of Red Tower. White-Gold is programmed to sap the activation power from the other Towers. If we can shut down the primary system by undermining it's power supply, the secondary system will remain in Standby, we can keep the barriers up between here and Oblivion up that way."

"What he's saying," Jongard interrupted, "is that I'm the power source for this infernal Tower, and to keep Akatosh from destroying Nirn, like he's been trying to do since his rival created it, we need to cut that power."

"There has to be another way to do this! I'm not letting you die!" I said, feeling powerless beyond comprehension.

"There is no other way." The vampire said, lifting me up with magic. "If you want to destroy the world, go ahead, but don't get in my way when I'm trying to save it!" He then threw me like a rag doll at the parapets.

"Now, let us begin. Obviously, no holding back." He said, taking his katana out of the activation controls.

"Yes." Was all Jongard said. He started to glow red, and float an inch off the ground. The vampire's tattoos glowed a bright blue, and he hunched over a little, a guttural noise escaping his lips. For a moment they stared each other down, sizing each other up.

Suddenly they were upon each other, swords clashing. The vampire jumped back, spinning, but was blocked by Jongard's lightning sword. The vampire lunged, and twitched left, knocking the sword out of Jongard's hands. Jongard began two-handing the flaming scimitar, going very offensive as the vampire elegantly dodged and blocked blow after blow.

Suddenly Jongard lunged, and the fiery sword impaled the vampire, who burst into flame. He yelled out a war cry and his tattoos glowed a brilliant, hot white. He slammed Jongard with the pommel of his sword, breaking his nose, and then dropped it. He lunged at him, sword still inside, clawing at Jongard's face. He was blocked, and Jongard delivered a bone-shattering punch to the vampire's ribs. He retaliated with a backhand across the face, which sprayed blood from Jongard's mouth. They began to go faster, until the wind from their movements extinguished the flaming vampire.

Suddenly they began to cast spells the like of which I'd never seen. The vampire began to fly, casting blue flames from tattoos across his knuckles. Jongard jumped aside, then launched red lightning, which was also dodged. The force of their spells started to break the Parapets and other, later-era decorations off the Tower, the loose stones flying out and orbiting around one or the other of the combatants. They flew a little off the Tower's edge, so I could see from my angle everything that was occurring.

They continued casting spells at each other. The flying stones caught the spells and filled the sky with multicolored explosions. They flew closer, the stones beginning to impact off each other. Suddenly one stone in the vampire's orbit slammed into Jongard's head.

Jongard fell, and all his stones with him. I wasn't thinking, I jumped from the Tower. I flew down from it, hand outstretched, irrationally thinking I could save him from death. The vampire passed me, his own sword in his right hand, and he pulled Jongard's Trueflame out of himself, spraying blood.

We raced to the ground underneath. I saw the look on Jongard's face just before he landed. It was a look of the man who had finally seen the end of war.

He landed first, then the vampire, who stabbed down into the dead body with both swords. Then I stopped. He held me up with a slowfall spell and let me fall from mere inches.

"You're free, brother." He said, closing Jongard's eyes, and removing the swords. He sat down, and so did I. The vengeful god screamed from the sky, his body disappearing into a cloud of mist as he, too, fell, the power sustaining him destroyed.

"Why?" I asked.

"Any of us three could have killed Auri-El, certainly. But then the world would have ended, just as it was prophesied. You were supposed to kill him, and end all Time. I've been through a Dragon break. It's not something you ever want to repeat." He replied.

"There was no other way?" I asked.

"The only way to deactivate a Tower is to remove it's Stone with a full Activation Module." He said. "That wasn't an option, but White-Gold's unique power grid allowed us to put it in permanent standby by undermining any Tower's Power Source, and since he was the last thread of Red Tower, only he could turn it off."

"Why didn't he just let you kill him, if he knew that was the only way to stop it?"

"He and I are Shorists. We both believe that dying valiantly in battle is the only way to enter Sovngarde. I was willing to grant him that."

Not able to take anymore, I simply blacked out.


	54. The End

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

The Story of Octavian

The End

I awoke in a room with sealed windows. My head was splitting, and I couldn't remember much. I sat up, and my head screamed at me as all the memories flooded back. I collapsed again.

"He's awake!" I heard Elena say.

"Quiet, woman. He's reeling." The vampire's voice whispered.

I vomited all over the floor. "What the hell?" I mumbled.

I opened my eyes and saw blurs. One was in black and was small, the other was taller, and in blue. My vision cleared, and I saw them clearly. Elena, in normal clothes, and the vampire in his battered suit of Daedric armor.

"About time you woke up, kid!" The vampire said, passing me a cup filled with blood and some other substance.

"That should clear your head up pretty good." He said.

I drank it down. Aside from the usual sensation of warmth flowing to my extremities, I also felt a relief on the pressure in my head. I sat up again, then promptly vomited yet again.

"Dammit, I didn't purify the potion enough." he said, turning back to his table. Elena cleaned me up a bit.

"What's going on?" I asked.

"The Oblivion Crisis has been over for three days. You passed out after your ordeal with Akatosh. I got you inside before everything cleared up, and me and Elena have been taking care of you since. We were starting to think you were never gonna wake up."

"Sorry to disappoint." I said, managing a grin.

"The mass funeral is today." Elena said. "Ocato is going to give a speech in front of everyone at the Dragon Statue."

"Okay, I'll go. I doubt I'll enjoy it."

So we went. The vampire hung at the back. Elena and I went right to the Statue, within view of Ocato. He motioned us up, and we faced the people.

"People of the Empire," Ocato said, "The Oblivion Crisis is over, but not without cost. Many brave men and women died to keep our cities safe, and in the battle to end the Crisis. We are here to pay our respects."

"Not least of which was Emperor Martin Septim I," He continued, "Who sacrificed his body to summon forth the agent of our salvation. Also, Jongard of Morrowind was sacrificed when that demonic Dragon attempted to destroy us. They have passed to the afterlife, and their deeds were all worthy of Tiber Septim himself."

"The last of the three greatest heroes of our age, Octavian Bacchus, stands before you, Champion of Cyrodiil, as Talos was before he became Emperor. He will now say a few words."

Suddenly I was faced with the Empire. What was I to tell them? That they had no Emperor, that despite all my efforts the Empire I had fought for was doomed? I decided against it, and pointed to the Dragon Statue.

"Never forget us all, when we are gone. Know that all races, man, mer, werebeast, and vampire, were for the last hours together as one. Never forget that."

Elena and I met up with the vampire, and he asked what our plans were.

"I'm looking for the cure. I won't be able to live life without Elena, so I'm becoming mortal again." I said.

"Check around Elsweyr. I knew a guy who was trying to make one down there." He said.

"What about you?" Elena asked.

"I'm gonna stay here for a while." He said, motioning to a group of suspicious individuals milling about. "These people are a hoot. I'm hanging with them. Good luck in the search." He said, and left.

We left right after. Together, and finally free of our burdens.

So my story ends. But remember my words:

Never forget.

The End


End file.
